Remembering the celebrities we lost in 2023
As we prepare to usher in a new year, we can’t help but pause for a moment to remember those who are no longer with us. This past year saw the deaths of some huge stars, pioneering personalities and memorable figures who seemed larger than life and left their marks behind on the world.
Here’s a look at some of the most notable deaths of 2023.
Adam Rich
Rich was a child star who gained fame playing Nicholas Bradford on the ABC series “Eight Is Enough,” which aired from 1977 until 1981. He was found dead Jan. 7 in his Los Angeles home, NBC News reported at the time. In June, the medical examiner's office ruled Rich died from the effects of the drug fentanyl and that the death was an accident. He was 54.
“Adam was simply a wonderful guy. He was kind, generous and a warrior in the fight against mental illness,” his spokesperson, Danny Deraney, said in a statement in January.
“He really was America's Little Brother,” he added.
Jeff Beck
A trailblazing and beloved guitarist who fused a variety of musical styles in his music, Beck died Jan. 10 of bacterial meningitis. He was 78. Beck won eight Grammy Awards and was twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, once with the Yardbirds and again as a solo performer in 2009.
Lisa Marie Presley
The daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley died Jan. 12 at the age of 54 after suffering a cardiac arrest, NBC News confirmed with officials.
A July 13 report obtained by NBC News from the Los Angeles Medical Examiner said she died from sequelae of small bowel obstruction, with sequelae referring to a condition that results from a preexisting illness.
Julian Sands
The actor, who starred in “A Room with a View” and “Ocean’s Thirteen,” went missing while hiking in the Southern California mountains in January. Hikers later found his body in the wilderness of Mount Baldy, outside of Los Angeles, in June. He was 65.
About one month later, Sands’ cause of death was classified as “undetermined,” an official for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department told “E! News.”
“E! News” also reported the official explained that decision was “due to the condition of the body” and added that result is “common when dealing with cases of this type.”
Jay Briscoe
Briscoe, a Ring of Honor wrestler, died in a car crash in Laurel, Delaware, on Jan. 17 that killed one other person. He was 38.
Briscoe wrestled with ROH as a half of the world tag team champions with his brother, Mark Briscoe. He and his brother were inducted into the inaugural class of the ROH Hall of Fame in 2022.
David Crosby
The influential folk-rock singer-songwriter died at the age of 81, a source close to Crosby confirmed to NBC News in January. No official cause of death was provided.
Crosby was a member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and was twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, once with the Byrds and later with Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Lisa Loring
Loring, the actor who originated and popularized the role of Wednesday Addams on the 1960s TV series “The Addams Family,” was 64 when she died in January.
“She brought to life one of the most iconic characters in Hollywood history that is still celebrated today,” her agent, Chris Carbaugh, told NBC News. “Lisa loved sharing her memories and meeting all her fans across the world. She will be missed dearly.”
Burt Bacharach
The Grammy, Oscar and Emmy-winning singer-composer, who brought fans such hits as “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and dozens of other hits, died Feb. 8 at 94 from natural causes, according to his publicist.
Raquel Welch
A sex symbol for the ages, Welch died at 82 on Feb. 15 after a brief illness, a spokesperson for the actor’s management company told NBC News. She rocketed to fame in a pair of movies in 1966, “Fantastic Voyage” and “One Million Years B.C.” — the latter featured her as a prehistoric woman. The image of her in a bikini from that film would become a popular poster. She would later spoof her role of a sex symbol in various projects, including “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” and “Legally Blonde.”
Richard Belzer
A veteran stand-up comedian who transitioned to dramas, playing Detective John Munch on "Homicide: Life on the Street" and “Law & Order: SVU,” Belzer died at the age of 78 on Feb. 19. He appeared in 326 episodes of “Law & Order: SVU,” before leaving the series in 2016, while his Munch character would also appear on other series, including “Arrested Development,” “The Wire,” “30 Rock” and “The X-Files.”
Tom Sizemore
The “Saving Private Ryan” star's manager confirmed his death to NBC News on March 3. He was 61 and died a few days after he had suffered a brain aneurysm. Sizemore also starred in “Black Hawk Down” and was open about his journey with addiction during his life, appearing on “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” and “Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House.”
Gary Rossington
Rossington, lead guitarist and the last surviving founding member of rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, died March 5 at the age of 71. No cause of death was given. Rossington was one of the passengers who survived a 1977 plane crash which killed band members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines and three other people.
Robert Blake
Blake died at the age of 89 on March 9. A family statement said he died of heart disease, The Associated Press reported. Blake started as a child actor in the “Our Gang” comedies before reaching the pinnacle of his career with his Emmy-winning role as the title character on “Baretta.” But it was an off-camera controversy that would capture attention when Blake was tried and later acquitted of the 2001 murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, in a high-profile case.
Bobby Caldwell
Caldwell was 71 when he died in March following a long illness, NBC News confirmed. He sang the 1978 hit “What You Won’t Do for Love,” which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the R&B chart. He later co-wrote the 1986 Peter Cetera-Amy Grant duet, “The Next Time I Fall,” which made it to No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart.
Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick, who appeared in TV series like “The Wire,” “Oz,” “Fringe” and the “John Wick” film franchise, died of natural causes March 17, NBC News reported. He was 60.
Paul Cattermole
Cattermole, a member of British band S Club 7, was 46 when he died. “We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul,” the band wrote in a message on Twitter (now known as X) on April 7. It was later revealed he died of natural causes, a spokesperson for the Dorset Coroner’s Office shared with "E! News."
"We confirm that Mr. Cattermole died from natural causes and our investigations have concluded," a May 18 statement read. "As his death was from natural causes there will be no inquest."
Michael Lerner
Lerner, 81, was a longtime actor, known for starring in “Elf,” “Godzilla” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” He also earned an Oscar nomination for 1991’s “Barton Fink.” He died April 8, his nephew Sam Lerner announced in an Instagram post. Lerner's brother told The New York Times the cause of death was "complications of brain seizures" he suffered months earlier.
He also made countless appearances on TV shows over the years, including “The Brady Bunch,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Ironside,” “The Odd Couple,” “The A-Team,” “Hill Street Blues” and “Law & Order: SVU.” He also made multiple appearances on “Glee” and “Clueless,” the TV series based on the Alicia Silverstone film.
Al Jaffee
Jaffee, a well-known cartoonist for Mad magazine, died April 10 at the age of 102. Known for such popular cartoons as the Fold-In and “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” Jaffee worked until the age of 99.
Len Goodman
One of the original judges on the American version of “Dancing With the Stars,” Goodman died in April at the age of 78, his manager confirmed at the time. Variety reported Goodman had been diagnosed with bone cancer and died in hospice surrounded by family. His death also spurred a flurry of tributes from his "DWTS" family. Goodman had served as a judge on Britain’s “Strictly Come Dancing” from 2004 until 2016, and he took the gig on “Dancing With the Stars” beginning with the show’s premiere in 2005. In November 2022, he announced the upcoming 31st season would be his last.
“I cannot thank you enough, the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ family. It’s been such a wonderful experience for me,” he said.
Harry Belafonte
Belafonte, known as a singer, actor and activist, died April 25 from heart failure, his spokesperson confirmed to NBC News. Belafonte helped popularize calypso music and won a pair of Grammys. He also won a Tony Award for best actor in a featured role in a musical for “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac” in 1954. He was also a pioneering television producer and became the first Black American man to win an Emmy in 1960 for his special “Tonight with Belafonte.”
In 2014, he was honored with Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars, giving him coveted EGOT status. He was also a towering figure in the civil rights movement, speaking out in favor of getting Nelson Mandela released from prison, spearheading the USA for Africa effort and helping to organize the March on Washington in 1963.
Jerry Springer
Best remembered for his tenure overseeing the wild antics of and fights between the guests on his self-titled talk show, Springer died April 27 at his home in Chicago, his publicist told NBC News. His cause of death was pancreatic cancer, according to family spokesperson Jene Galvin. Springer, also a former mayor of Cincinnati, was 79.
"The Jerry Springer Show" was derided as trashy by critics but beloved as mindless entertainment by his fans.
“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” Galvin, who also served as executive producer of Springer's podcast, said.
“He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”
Jim Brown
Considered by many to be the greatest football player in NFL history, Brown died May 18 at the age of 87. One of the premiere running backs the game ever saw, Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a stellar career with the Cleveland Browns that he cut short early to start an acting career.
He starred in “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Running Man” and made appearances on such TV Shows as “The A-Team” and “CHiPs.” Brown was also known for his civil rights activism, pushing other Black athletes to use their fame to help call attention to relevant issues.
Tina Turner
Turner was a rock ‘n’ roll legend who died May 24 at the age of 83 in her Switzerland home after a long illness, her publicist said. Known for her distinctive voice, edgy hairstyle and long legs, Turner rose to fame performing as a duo with late ex-husband Ike Turner. She was also open about the physical abuse she endured from him.
After divorcing him, Turner, who won eight Grammy Awards, would achieve extraordinary success with songs such as “The Best,” “What’s Love Got To Do with It” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero.” Her life story was also made into the 1993 movie “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”
Pat Robertson
A nationally influential conservative evangelist and media titan who spoke to the Christian right, Robertson died June 8. He was 93. Robertson, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, is remembered for starting the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), which airs “The 700 Club,” and founding the Christian Coalition.
Treat Williams
The “Everwood” star, 71, died after he was involved in a motorcycle crash in Vermont on June 12. He was a prolific actor who also appeared in the films “Hair,” “1941,” “Prince of the City” and “Once Upon a Time in America.” On the small screen, he also had roles on “White Collar,” “Law & Order: SVU” and “Blue Bloods.”
Cormac McCarthy
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of such novels as “All the Pretty Horses,” “Blood Meridian,” “No Country for Old Men” and “The Road,” McCarthy died of natural causes June 13. He was 89.
Alan Arkin
Arkin, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his work in “Little Miss Sunshine,” died June 29 at the age of 89.
The veteran actor, who was nominated for three others Oscars, starred in a wide range of movies during a long career, including, “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming,” “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” “The In-Laws,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Havana,” “Glengarry Glen Ross” and “Argo.” On the TV side, he had most recently starred in Netflix’s “The Kominsky Method,” while previously starring on “Chicago Hope.”
Tony Bennett
Bennett, one of the signature voices of the 20th and 21st centuries, died July 21 at 96, following the 2016 revelation that he had Alzheimer’s disease.
Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, Bennett enjoyed a decadeslong run as one of the preeminent jazz voices in history, punctuated by his trademark 1962 hit, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
A 19-time Grammy Award winner, Bennett would win over an entire new fan base in his later years, thanks to his albums of duets that he made featuring him with such artists as Tim McGraw, Celine Dion, John Legend, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, Michael Bublé and Lady Gaga.
Sinead O’Connor
The “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer died July 26 at 56. Although she released 10 studio albums, O’Connor may best be remembered by many for tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II while serving as musical guest on a 1992 episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
O’Connor was also known for being open about her mental health struggles, talking in 2007 about her bipolar disorder and making headlines in 2017 when she made a video discussing how she had suicidal thoughts.
Paul Reubens
Reubens, better known to legions of fans as his alter ego Pee-wee Herman, died July 30 at 70 from acute hypoxic respiratory failure. Reubens, who also had cancer, became a sensation when he starred in the hit 1985 film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” which spawned a pair of sequels, 1988’s “Big Top Pee-wee” and “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” which was released in 2016 on Netflix.
The character also starred in a popular Saturday morning kids’ show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” which ran from 1986 until 1990 on CBS. Reubens’ career was also infamously derailed in 1991 when he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater. He would be arrested again in 2002 and charged with "possessing material depicting children engaged in sexual conduct," CNN reported at the time. The charge was later dropped after Reubens pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor obscenity charge.
William Friedkin
The Academy Award-winning director behind such legendary films as “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection,” died Aug. 7 from heart failure and pneumonia at the age of 87, his family said in a statement to NBC News at the time.
Friedkin won the best director Oscar in 1972 for “The French Connection” and was nominated in the same category again not long after for “The Exorcist.” He also directed “Cruising” and “To Live and Die in L.A.,” as well as the TV adaptation of “12 Angry Men,” which garnered him an Emmy nomination.
Bob Barker
Perhaps the premiere game show host in TV history, the longtime star of “The Price is Right” died Aug. 26 at the age of 99 from Alzheimer’s disease.
After nearly two decades hosting “Truth or Consequences,” Barker began a long tenure on “The Price is Right” in 1972, remaining with the beloved daytime show until he retired in 2007 (winning 19 Daytime Emmys in the process) after an astonishing 6,586 episodes, with his signature phrase of “Come on down!” welcoming contestants to the game.
Jimmy Buffett
The “Margaritaville” singer died at the age of 76 on Sept. 1 after being diagnosed four years earlier with Merkel cell skin cancer. A two-time Grammy nominee, Buffett was known for his laid-back music, releasing his first album in 1970, with 1977’s “Margaritaville” being his signature hit. He also had a loyal following, with his fans known as "Parrotheads" for their devotion to him.
Steve Harwell
The lead singer of Smash Mouth, which gained fame for its massive 1999 hit “All Star,” died Sept. 4. Harwell, who had endured multiple health issues, died from acute liver failure shortly after it was announced he had entered hospice care. He also sang the band’s hits “Walkin’ on the Sun” and its cover of the Monkees’ classic “I’m a Believer,” which appeared on the soundtrack to “Shrek.”
Gary Wright
Gary Wright, the singer known for his 1970s classic “Dream Weaver,” died Sept. 4 at the age of 80 from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, his son told NBC News. “Dream Weaver” became a pioneering soft rock classic for its use of synthesizers and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. His song “Love Is Alive” also went to No. 2 on the same chart, while “Dream Weaver” enjoyed a resurgence in 1992 when it appeared in the movie “Wayne’s World.”
David McCallum
The actor who played Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on CBS’ “NCIS” died Sept. 25 from natural causes. He was 90. He was a three-time Emmy nominee, earning a pair of nominations for his work as secret agent Illya Kuryakinon the 1960s show “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” He also appeared on “Law & Order” and “Sex and the City” and provided his voice for 2009's “Wonder Woman” and the animated movie “Batman vs. Robin.”
Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon, known for playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in several “Harry Potter” movies, died at the end of September following a bout with pneumonia, his family said in a statement at the time. He was 82.
“Kind kind kind Michael Gambon. You never took it too seriously but somehow delivered the most serious moments with all the gravitas,” “Harry Potter” co-star Emma Watson wrote on her Instagram story. “Thank you for showing us what it looks like to wear greatness lightly. We will miss you.”
Dianne Feinstein
Feinstein, who was the oldest sitting senator, the longest-serving female senator and the longest-serving senator from California, died Sept. 29 at the age of 90.
“Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “She’s made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations.”
Dick Butkus
The Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears died in his sleep Oct. 5 at the age of 80, the team announced at the time. Considered one of the best linebackers in football history, Butkus also starred in several popular Miller Lite commercials and the Saturday morning sitcom “Hang Time” following his retirement.
Rudolph Isley
Isley was one of the founding members of the Isley Brothers, performing on such hits as “Shout,” “Twist and Shout,” “That Lady” and “It’s Your Thing.” He was 84 when he died Oct. 11. Isley was inducted with the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
Piper Laurie
The veteran actor died Oct. 14 at the age of 91. Laurie was a three-time Academy Award nominee, earning nods for her roles in “The Hustler,” “Carrie” and “Children of a Lesser God.” She also earned an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or a special for her work in Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Promise." She received eight other nominations, including two for her work in the 1990s drama “Twin Peaks.” In addition, she had roles on “St. Elsewhere,” “Frasier” and the miniseries “The Thorn Birds.”
Suzanne Somers
A beloved TV star, Somers died from breast cancer on Oct. 15. She was 76. Somers became a huge star playing ditzy Chrissy Snow on “Three’s Company” in the 1970s before she was fired from the show over a salary dispute.
"I asked to be paid what they were paying the men, and my timing was off," Somers said on TODAY in 1999.
Somers added her request "created sort of an atmosphere of mob fury on the show."
"It was one of those things that was very painful for me 'cause I never meant to leave that show," she explained, before adding that looking back, her firing was actually "the greatest thing that happened" because it "forced" her to "reinvent" herself.
She would later resurface in the 1990s ABC sitcom “Step by Step” and found success as a businesswoman and fitness star with the ThighMaster.
Richard Roundtree
Roundtree, the actor who played the title role in the original “Shaft” film franchise, died Oct. 24 from pancreatic cancer, his manager confirmed to NBC News at the time. He was 81. Roundtree, who had previously survived breast cancer, helped pioneer the idea of a Black action star on the big screen. His other credits include television hits such as “CHiPs,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Chicago Fire.”
Matthew Perry
Perhaps no death shocked more people this year than Matthew Perry’s. The “Friends” star was found after an apparent drowning in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home in California. He was 54. In December, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the actor's cause of death in a statement to NBC News and said Perry died of acute effects of ketamine. Perry wrote about ketamine therapy in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing,” saying he used the drug "to ease pain and help with depression." Recent research has shown ketamine can work for treatment-resistant depression in some people. How Perry took the ketamine before his death is unclear, and the ME report says the drug likely made Perry unconscious, which led to drowning. Perry was open about his addiction struggles and gave fans an honest look at his life in his memoir.
During his book tour, Perry hoped he could help others struggling with addiction, and in a November 2022 interview, he detailed how he hoped to be remembered.
“I’d like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker,” he said. “And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want.”
Perry was beloved for his portrayal of the sarcastic Chandler Bing on “Friends,” a role which he played for the entirety of the sitcom’s 10-season run.
In addition to that series, Perry, who was a five-time Emmy nominee, also starred in “The Odd Couple,” “Go On” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” He also headlined such movies as “The Whole Nine Yards,” “17 Again” and “Fools Rush In.”
Bobby Knight
One of the most towering and short-fused college basketball coaches in history, Knight died Nov. 1 at the age of 83. No cause of death was given.
Knight won a national championship as a player at Ohio State University and then three more as a coach with the University of Indiana, but he was often at the center of controversy due to his fiery temper that could often be seen on display at games and with the media. He also led the U.S. to a gold medal as head coach in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. He was eventually fired from Indiana and finished his career at Texas Tech University.
Rosalynn Carter
Carter, who was the wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died Nov. 19. She was 96. No cause of death was given, but it was revealed in May that she had been diagnosed with dementia. An advocate for mental health and equal rights, Carter worked with her husband following his presidency to create The Carter Center, a private not-for-profit aiming to advance human rights and stop human suffering.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” the former president said in a statement. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”
Frances Sternhagen
A three-time Emmy Award nominee, Sternhagen was 93 when she died Nov. 27. She was best remembered for her ability to take supporting roles and flourish in them, most notably as the mother-in-law of Kristin Davis’ Charlotte on “Sex and the City.” She earned an Emmy nomination for that role and snagged two other Emmy nominations for playing the mother of Cliff Clavin on “Cheers.”
Sternhagen, who also starred on “ER” and “The Closer,” was additionally a force on Broadway, winning Tony Awards for “The Good Doctor” and “The Heiress.” She was nominated for five other Tonys. In addition, she had film roles in “Misery,” “Julie & Julia,” “Starting Over” and “Doc Hollywood.”
Henry Kissinger
Kissinger, who served as secretary of state under President Richard Nixon and President Gerald Ford, died Nov. 29 at the age of 100. He also advised leaders in the Democratic Party and Republican Party for decades. In addition, Kissinger acted as the national security adviser under Nixon, while also carrying out his role as the secretary of state.
A Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kissinger is considered one of the foremost diplomats of the 20th century as someone who advanced America's relationships with China and the Soviet Union. He was also reviled by many for his role in expanding the American presence in Vietnam and his part in the bombing in Cambodia.
Sandra Day O'Connor
O'Connor, who was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, died at the age of 93 on Dec. 1 from complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness, a court spokesperson said in a statement.
O'Connor served in the court from 1981 until she officially left in 2006, often acting as a swing vote in key cases. She could also be seen as someone with no clear bent — siding with conservatives in voting to end the 2000 recount in the presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, but taking a more liberal stance in upholding abortion rights and affirmative action in college admissions.
Norman Lear
Lear, the pioneering TV producer behind some of the most dynamic, groundbreaking and memorable sitcoms in history, died Dec. 5 at the age of 101.
Lear propelled the idea that comedies could cover controversial subjects that had been previously considered taboo. He created the classic comedy “All in the Family,” and had a hand in other socially and politically conscious shows, including “Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude” and “One Day at a Time.”
Ryan O'Neal
O'Neal, who snagged a best actor Academy Award nomination for his work in the 1970 hit "Love Story," died Dec. 8. He was 82.
After becoming a TV star on "Peyton Place," O'Neal transitioned to a successful film career, starring in films such as “What’s Up, Doc?,” “Paper Moon,” “Barry Lyndon,” “A Bridge Too Far,” “The Main Event” and “The Driver.” O'Neal was also known for his long-term relationship with the late Farrah Fawcett from 1979 to 1997. The two got back together in 2001 until Fawcett's death in 2009.
Andre Braugher
The actor, known for his roles on TV shows "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "Homicide: Life on the Street," died Dec. 11 from lung cancer after a brief illness at the age of 61, his publicist and spokesperson confirmed to NBC News.
A two-time Emmy winner, Braugher first rose to prominence on the big screen, in the Civil War drama "Glory." He also starred in films such as "City of Angels" and "Frequency," and appeared on other shows, including "The Good Fight," "House" and "Men of a Certain Age."
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
