Remembering the most notable celebrity deaths in 2024!
This year, fans have already had to say goodbye to some creative talents in Tinsel Town. At the beginning of January, Academy Award-nominated actress Glynis Johns, who played alongside Julie Andrews in 1964’s Mary Poppins as Winifred Banks, passed away at age 100.
Soon after, news broke that beloved actor David Soul, famously known for playing detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson on TV’s Starsky and Hutch, died at age 80.
And the bad news hasn’t stopped. In the months since, we’ve said goodbye to many important figures, including fitness guru Richard Simmons. So, on that note, continue reading as Inspiring Wishes pays tribute to 6 stars who were sadly taken from us this year.
Notable celebrity death: James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones, a titan of screen and stage whose specific baritone provided the voice to iconic characters like Mufasa and Darth Vader, passed away on September 9th at 93 years old.
The actor, who famously labored through a childhood stutter that put him through several “mute years,” established himself as one of the most esteemed American actors of all time, earning acclaim with a versatile career that spanned 60 years, beginning with his 1958 Broadway debut to his most recent performance, in 2021: Coming 2 America.
This important figure’s more than 80 film credits include roles as a withdrawn author and troubled Red Sox fan in Field of Dreams, a B-52 bombardier in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 Dr. Strangelove, a blind former baseball player in The Sandlot, and the terrifying villain of Conan the Barbarian.
While his roles in The Lion King and the Star Wars saga have secured him a permanent position in pop culture, he also won two Tony Awards for 1969’s The Great White Hope and 1987’s Fences, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama from August Wilson.
Jones was also granted a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award back in 2017. And with two Emmys, a 1977 Grammy, and his 2011 honorary Oscar, James Earl Jones is one of a handful of actors who have achieved an EGOT.
Notable celebrity death: Phil Donahue
The celebrated daytime talk show host, Phil Donahue, died on August 18th at 88 years old. Recognized as the “King of Daytime Talk,” Donahue was a TV trailblazer thanks to his influential work on his issue-oriented program, The Phil Donahue Show, from 1967 to 1996.
Unlike other talk shows of that time, this important figure’s show focused on one topic or guest at a time for an entire hour while encouraging the audience to ask questions. For his first episode, Phil Donahue welcomed atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair as a guest.
She had worked to eliminate prayer from public schools, which was, back then, a controversial choice made for revolutionary TV.
From then on, Donahue never shied away from sensitive or sensationalist issues, frequently diving into those that other daytime TV shows wouldn’t dare to touch, including abortion, incest, and homosexuality.
Across his 29-year career, he interviewed heads of state, politicians, feminists, Ku Klux Klan members, adult film stars, and many more. The show attracted a primarily female audience and was highly esteemed for spotlighting women’s issues.
While talking to Oprah for O magazine back in the early 2000s, Donahue said, “The show became where women discussed issues that didn’t come up naturally, and certainly not in mixed company.
Much of what we discussed on the air is what women had been discussing in ladies’ rooms.” He earned nine Daytime Emmys and 21 nominations, as well as a primetime Emmy for his special Donahue and Kids. Phil even received a Peabody Award in 1981.
Notable celebrity death: Shannen Doherty
“It’s with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13th, at age 53.
She lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE on Sunday, July 14th.
The devoted daughter, aunt, sister, and friend was surrounded by Bowie, her dog, and loved ones. The family asks for their privacy now to grieve in peace,” Sloane continued.
Wildly publicized, we know that the Beverly Hills 90210 star was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 2015.
Notable celebrity death: Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons, the unorthodox fitness instructor and media personality who rose to notoriety in the 80s, passed away on July 13th at the age of 76. He had marked a new year just one day earlier.
Simmons moved to LA in the 70s and opened a fitness studio in Beverly Hills: Anatomy Asylum, later renamed “Slimmons.”
His studio, which focused on assisting fitness newcomers gain an interest in exercise, was featured in an episode of the NBC reality series Real People, which led to many other appearances throughout the media.
This important figure even starred as himself in a few episodes of General Hospital in the 80s, hosted his own Daytime talk show, for which he won an Emmy. And he produced over 60 workout videos throughout his career.
Notable celebrity death: Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall, the actress who starred in a few Robert Altman films and avoided an ax-swinging Jack Nicholson in Kubrick’s The Shining, passed away on July 11th due to complications from suffering from diabetes at 75 years old.
The actress was born in Texas and was discovered by Robert Altman, who cast her in his 70s film, Brewster McCloud. The movie would be the first of seven projects the duo would work on together over the next couple of years, including Nashville in 1975, 3 Women in 1977, and Popeye in 1980.
She also famously engraved her name into horror history as Wendy in The Shining, a demanding role that saw her star opposite Jack Nicholson.
Besides movies, this important figure also hosted, created, and executive produced a few popular children’s TV programs throughout the 80s, including Nightmare Classics, Faerie Tale Theatre, and Tall Tales & Legends.
She withdrew from acting in 2002 before appearing in a controversial Dr. Phil episode where she revealed that she’d been having a difficult time with her mental health.
Nevertheless, more than 20 years after saying goodbye to Hollywood, Shelley Duvall came back to the big screen to star in the 2023 indie horror film The Forest Hills.
Notable celebrity death: Bob Newhart
Bob Newhart was one of television’s most respected comedic actors of all time. He died on July 18th at 94 years old after a series of illnesses.
His career lasted 60 years, from his early origins as a stand-up on The Ed Sullivan Show to his appearances as the cherished Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory. His pitch-perfect timing and straight-faced delivery made him a timeless comic force to be reckoned with.
Newhart’s first comedy album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1961, while Bob Newhart was named Best New Artist. His work in stand-up got him noticed by NBC, which landed him a variety show in the early sixties.
The program only lasted a season, but it showed Tinsel Town that this important figure had the talent for hosting and busting chops. He continued his career by helping emcees on The Entertainers, Ed Sullivan, The Dean Martin Show, and The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson.
Newhart would go on to lead the self-titled shows The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, the latter of which was known for its famous ending.
Did you know about these notable celebrity deaths this year? Who were your favorites from our list? Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
And if you liked this article, we highly recommend you also read: 9 Famous Quotes About Aging Every Senior Should Read