As it is every year, Death just can't seem to take a holiday— not even with the pandemic slowing down. Or is it surging again? I honestly can't keep track of it anymore.
Once again Death proved that neither fame nor fortune makes one immune to its icy touch, as so far there've been hundreds of celebrities and public figures who met their makers in 2022. Here's a partial list of the most notable ones who died in the first half of the year.
Note that there were many more high profile celebrity deaths this year than the ones I've listed here. I'm only including the ones I recognize or who had an impact on my life.
Once again Death proved that neither fame nor fortune makes one immune to its icy touch, as so far there've been hundreds of celebrities and public figures who met their makers in 2022. Here's a partial list of the most notable ones who died in the first half of the year.
Note that there were many more high profile celebrity deaths this year than the ones I've listed here. I'm only including the ones I recognize or who had an impact on my life.
Died January 5, 2023 at age 81.
A very prolific character actor, with a ton of credits. He's probably best known for playing Dr. Silberman in the first three Terminator movies.
Died January 7, 2023 at age 54.
Child star who appeared in Eight Is Enough, and did voiceover work on the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon series.
Died January 9, 2023 at age 83.
Award winning actress who starred in such films as Bound For Glory, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Absence Of Malice, Harry And The Hendersons, The Prince Of Tides and Magnolia.
Despite those impressive credits, she'll be forever known as Ralphie's Mom in the perennial holiday hit A Christmas Story.
For some inexplicable and inexcusable reason, her death wasn't reported until February 3! What the hell?
Jeff Back
Died January 10, 2023 at age 78.
Famed guitarist and former member of The Yardbirds. Beck was also a six time Grammy winner.
Died January 11, 2023 at age 86.
Actor best known for playing the straight-laced anchorman Jim Dial on 1990's sitcom Murphy Brown.
Once again, for some inexplicable reason his death wasn't reported until a month later, on February 6.
Died January 12, 2023 at age 54.
Singer/songwriter, and the only daughter of Elvis. She had a tumultuous personal life, as she was briefly married to Michael Jackson (!) and later Nicolas Cage (!!). She was also a Scientologist, which explains a lot.
Robbie Bachman
Died January 12, 2023 at age 69.
The Bachman in 1970s power rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Robbie Knievel
Died January 13, 2023 at age 60.
Motorcycle daredevil and stuntman, and son of better known daredevil Evel Knievel.
Died January 16, 2023 at age 95.
Famed Italian actress, whose name was synonymous with "sex symbol."
Died January 18, 2023 at age 81.
Popular singer and member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Died January 19, 2023 at age 89.
Scottish comic artist, and creator of Dennis The Menace. No, not THAT Dennis, the British one— who was actually even worse than his American counterpart!
Amazingly, the two Dennises were conceived by their creators and given the same moniker completely independent of one another. And in an even more stunning instance of cosmic coincidence, they both premiered on the exact same date— March 12, 1959! Amazing!
Sal Piro
Died January 22, 2023 at age 71.
President of the American chapter of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Club, a position he held since 1977. Piro was part of the crowd who originated the custom of shouting catchphrases and throwing toilet paper and rice at the screen during the film, as well as dressing as the various characters and acting out their roles. Ah, so he's the one responsible for that annoyance.
Died January 24, 2023 at the much too young age of 62.
Kerwin was a busy child actor in the 1970s, appearing in such TV movies as Salem's Lot and The Loneliest Runner. He also starred in the James At 15 series.
Died January 25, 2023 at age 75.
Actress best known for playing Shirley Feeney on 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley— a part she originated on sister show Happy Days. Williams also starred in American Graffiti and The Conversation.
Billy Packer
Died January 26 at age 82.
Long-time sports broadcaster and analyst.
Died January 28, 2023 at age 64.
Actress who played Wednesday Addams on the original Addams Family TV show in the 1960s.
Bob Born
Died January 29, 2023 at age 98.
Inventor of Peeps and Hot Tamales candies.
Bobby Hull
Died January 30, 2023 at age 84.
One of the most famous hockey players ever. During his career the Stanley Cup winner played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers.
Died February 5, 2023 at age 70.
Browne was the son of cartoonist Dik Browne (yes, that's the actual spelling), who created the comic strip Hagar The Horrible. When the elder Browne died in 1989, Chris took over the strip, writing and drawing it till the present day.
Burt Bacharach
Died February 8, 2023 at age 94.
Six time Grammy winning composer, who wrote such 1970s and 1980s staples as Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, Close To You, Arthur's Theme and That's What Friends Are For.
Died February 15, 2023 at age 82.
Voluptuous actress & sex symbol, best known for her roles in movies suchs as One Million Years B.C. and Fantastic Voyage. She also played herself in a memorable Seinfeld episode!
Died February 17, 2023 at age 84.
Another bombshell actress, best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure.
George T. Miller (not to be confused with Australian director George Miller)
Died February 17, 2023 at age 79.
Scottish born director who helmed such films as The Man From Snowy River, The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter and Zeus And Roxanne.
Died February 19, 2023 at age 78.
Former stand up comedian turned actor, who starred in numerous crime procedurals such as Homicide: Life On The Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His character of police detective John Munch appeared in ELEVEN different series over the years, making Belzer the only person in history to play the same character in that many different shows.
Died February 18, 2023 at age 83.
Actress best known for her role as Fay Furillo (ex-wife of Captain Frank Furillo) on Hill Street Blues.
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Died February 27, 2023 at age 93.
Best known for playing the Gill Man in Creature From The Black Lagoon.
Died March 3, 2023 at age 61.
Troubled actor who starred in such films as Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan and Heat.
Died March 8, 2023 at age 87.
Israeli-born actor (real name was Chaim Topol) best known for his roles as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof and Dr. Zarkov in Flash Gordon.
Bert I. Gordon
Died March 8, 2023 at age 100 (!).
Filmmaker who specialized in ultra cheap B-movies. His movies were usually centered around size, featuring giant insects or people. Maybe because his initials spelled out BIG?
Gordon wrote and directed such classics as King Dinosaur, The Amazing Colossal Man, The Beginning Of The End, Earth Vs. The Spider, War Of The Colossal Beast, Attack Of The Puppet People, Village Of The Giants, The Food Of The Gods, Empire Of The Ants and many more.
Died March 9, 2023 at age 89.
Actor whose career began at age six, when he starred in the Our Gang film series. As an adult he was best known for roles in films such as In Cold Blood and Lost Highway, and in the TV series Baretta.
In 2005 Blake was tried and acquitted in the death of his second wife Bonny Lee Bakley. Controversy surrounded the case, as Bakley was killed in a car outside a California restaurant. According to Blake he escorted his wife to their car, then went back inside the restaurant to retrieve his gun he'd forgotten (?). When he returned to the car, he claimed she'd been shot, which all sounds pretty suspicious if you ask me.
Napoleon XIV
Died March 10, 2023 at age 84.
Napoleon XIV, aka Jerrold Samuels, was a singer best known for his novelty song They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!, a perennial staple of the Doctor Demento radio show.
Died March 13, 2023 at age 82.
Former New York Yankee & World Series Champion. I never saw him play and have no fond memories of him— I just like saying the name "Joe Pepitone."
Died March 17, 2023 at the much too young age of 60.
Actor with an intense and intimidating screen presence, who starred in numerous TV shows and films such as The Wire, Fringe and the John Wick franchise. He was a prolific voice actor as well.
Willis Reed
Died March 21, 2023 at age 80.
One of the few NBA players whose name I recognize. Reed played for the New York Knicks and eventually coached the Nets.
Died April 2, 2023 at age 84.
Best known for playing Nurse Able (who was mostly a background character) on M*A*S*H. As you might guess from her name, she was also the wife of M*A*S*H star Mike Farrell, aka BJ Hunnicutt.
Died April 8, 2023 at age 81.
Prolific character actor who starred in such films as Barton Fink, Eight Men Out, Elf and of course the classic 1998 version of Godzilla.
Died April 10, 2023 at age 102 (!!!).
Beloved long-time artist for MAD Magazine. Held the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a comic artist, working steadily from 1942 to 2020.
Jafffee's most popular features were his "Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions," and of course the fold-ins that graced the back cover of MAD for decades.
I enjoyed his art quite a bit over the years, and probably incorporated a tiny fraction of his style in my own work.
Ken Potts
Died April 21, 2023 at age 102!
Potts was a WWII veteran who survived the attack of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor! He was one of just two remaining survivors of the Arizona.
Barry Humphries
Died April 22, 2023 at age 89.
Humphries was an Australian comedian, best known for playing the character of Dame Edna Evarage for decades. He also voiced the Great Goblin in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Harry Belafonte
Died April 25, 2023 at age 96.
American singer best known for his calypso-fueled songs, such as The Banana Boat Song and Jump In The Line— both of which were featured prominently in the movie Beetlejuice.
Jerry Springer
Died April 27, 2023 at age 79.
British born American who somehow became mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978. Parlayed his fame into a TV career, where he was best known as the host of the dreadful The Jerry Springer Show— a program which surely lowered the collective IQ of the entire country.
Harold Kushner
Died April 27, 2023 at age 88.
American rabbi who authored the popular self help book When Bad Things Happen To Good People. Looks like the title was prophetic!
Eileen Saki
Died May 1, 2023 at age 79.
Japanese-American actress best known for playing Rosie the bartender on M*A*S*H. Well, one of the Rosies— there were three different actresses who played the part over the course of the series. Saki was also in Splash and Policewomen.
Gordon Lightfoot
Died May 1, 2023 at age 84.
Mellow-voiced Canadian singer & songwriter, best known for 1970s staples Sundown, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald and If You Could Read My Mind.
Bruce McCall
Died May 5, 2023 at age 87.
Definitely not a household name, but one of my favorite illustrators. Author of the book Zany Afternoons.
Vida Blue
Died May 6, 2023 at age 73.
Three time World Series champion, and one of the few baseball players whose name I recognize.
Deacon Jones
Died May 7, 2023 at age 89.
Another of the few baseball players I've actually heard of.
Jim Brown
Died May 18, 2023 at age 87.
Former Cleveland Browns player turned actor, who starred in The Dirty Dozen and Mars Attacks.
Andy Rourke
Died May 19, 2023 at age 59.
Bassist for The Smiths.
Ray Stevenson
Died March 21, 2023 at age 58.
Irish actor who starred in Punisher: War Zone, The Book Of Eli, Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok and RRR.
David Brandt
Died March 21, 2023 at age 76.
Farmer and unlikely internet celebrity, who appeared in the "It Ain't Much But It's Honest Work" meme.
Tina Turner
Died May 24, 2023 at age 83.
Eight-time Grammy winning singer, who started out with her spouse Ike Turner. After years of alleged domestic abuse, she left Turner and embarked on a massively successful solo career.
Turner's best known for Proud Mary, What's Love Got To Do With It, We Don't Need Another Hero and many more. Turner was also an actress, and made a memorable appearance as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
George Maharis
Died May 24, 2023 at age 94 (!).
Handsome staple of 1970s TV, Maharis appeared on Route 66 and guest-starred on virtually every other series of the day.
The Iron Sheik
Died June 7, 2023 at age 81.
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known by his stage name, was an Iranian-born American who became a Hall Of Fame professional wrestler.
Pat Robertson
Died June 8, 2023 at age 93.
TV evangelist and perennial host of The 700 Club, as well as founder of CBN and Regent University.
Mom always told me if I couldn't say something nice about someone, then don't say anything at all, so...
Ted Kaczynski
Died June 10, 2023 at age 81.
Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, was a domestic terrorist whose actions murdered three people and injured twenty three others in the 1970s and 1980s. He was eventually caught in 1998 and sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences. He died in prison, apparently of suicide. Good riddance!
Treat Williams
Died June 12, 2023 at age 71.
A talented actor who was in a ton of films and TV shows, but somehow he never quite achieved superstardom. Best known for Once Upon A Time In America, Dead Heat, The Phantom, Deep Rising and many more.
John Romita Sr.
Died June 12, 2023 at age 93.
Glenda Jackson
Died June 15, 2023 at age 87.
English actress (Women In Love, Sunday Bloody Sunday) who later turned to politics.
Frederic Forrest
Died June 23, 2023 at age 86.
Character actor best known for roles in The Rose, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now.
Julian Sands
Died June 24, 2023 (sort of) at age 65.
British actor known for A Room With A View, The Killing Fields and Arachnophobia.
Sands disappeared back in January after going on a hike at Mt. Baldy in California. Sadly, he died shortly afterward, but his remains weren't discovered on June 24.
Nicolas Coster
Died June 26, 2023 at age 89.
Perennial soap opera star who appeared on All My Children, Another World, Santa Barbara and As The World Turns. He also guest starred on virtually every TV show at one point or another, including Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Alan Arkin
Died June 29, 2023 at age 89.
Arkin was a very prolific character actor, as well as father of Adam Arkin. He starred in dozens of high profile films over the years, such as Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, The Rocketeer and Little Miss Sunshine. Arkin was always one of my favorites, as he brought a dry, deadpan wit to every role he played.
Whew! That's it for the first half of 2023. Let's hope the second half is relatively quiet!
Died April 21, 2023 at age 102!
Potts was a WWII veteran who survived the attack of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor! He was one of just two remaining survivors of the Arizona.
Died April 22, 2023 at age 89.
Humphries was an Australian comedian, best known for playing the character of Dame Edna Evarage for decades. He also voiced the Great Goblin in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Died April 25, 2023 at age 96.
American singer best known for his calypso-fueled songs, such as The Banana Boat Song and Jump In The Line— both of which were featured prominently in the movie Beetlejuice.
Died April 27, 2023 at age 79.
British born American who somehow became mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978. Parlayed his fame into a TV career, where he was best known as the host of the dreadful The Jerry Springer Show— a program which surely lowered the collective IQ of the entire country.
Harold Kushner
Died April 27, 2023 at age 88.
American rabbi who authored the popular self help book When Bad Things Happen To Good People. Looks like the title was prophetic!
Died May 1, 2023 at age 79.
Japanese-American actress best known for playing Rosie the bartender on M*A*S*H. Well, one of the Rosies— there were three different actresses who played the part over the course of the series. Saki was also in Splash and Policewomen.
Gordon Lightfoot
Died May 1, 2023 at age 84.
Mellow-voiced Canadian singer & songwriter, best known for 1970s staples Sundown, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald and If You Could Read My Mind.
Died May 5, 2023 at age 87.
Definitely not a household name, but one of my favorite illustrators. Author of the book Zany Afternoons.
Vida Blue
Died May 6, 2023 at age 73.
Three time World Series champion, and one of the few baseball players whose name I recognize.
Deacon Jones
Died May 7, 2023 at age 89.
Another of the few baseball players I've actually heard of.
Died May 18, 2023 at age 87.
Former Cleveland Browns player turned actor, who starred in The Dirty Dozen and Mars Attacks.
Andy Rourke
Died May 19, 2023 at age 59.
Bassist for The Smiths.
Died March 21, 2023 at age 58.
Irish actor who starred in Punisher: War Zone, The Book Of Eli, Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok and RRR.
Died March 21, 2023 at age 76.
Farmer and unlikely internet celebrity, who appeared in the "It Ain't Much But It's Honest Work" meme.
Died May 24, 2023 at age 83.
Eight-time Grammy winning singer, who started out with her spouse Ike Turner. After years of alleged domestic abuse, she left Turner and embarked on a massively successful solo career.
Turner's best known for Proud Mary, What's Love Got To Do With It, We Don't Need Another Hero and many more. Turner was also an actress, and made a memorable appearance as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Died May 24, 2023 at age 94 (!).
Handsome staple of 1970s TV, Maharis appeared on Route 66 and guest-starred on virtually every other series of the day.
Died June 7, 2023 at age 81.
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known by his stage name, was an Iranian-born American who became a Hall Of Fame professional wrestler.
Died June 8, 2023 at age 93.
TV evangelist and perennial host of The 700 Club, as well as founder of CBN and Regent University.
Mom always told me if I couldn't say something nice about someone, then don't say anything at all, so...
OK, I can't resist. This hateful, ancient shit stain is the person primarily responsible for injecting religion into modern American politics— a situation that plagues us to this day. Also, whenever there was a natural disaster like a hurricane or earthquake, he'd loudly proclaim it was god's wrath, as he was punishing gays, immigrants and any other group he saw as sinners.
And don't get me started on how he bilked hundreds of millions out of superstitious old ladies who sent their Social Security checks to him in the hope he'd heal their ailments.
He was an evil, malicious old asshole who irreparably damaged the country in ways that are still being felt, all while preaching an artificial gospel of love and tolerance. I'm glad he's dead and I hope there really is a Hell, so he can spend the rest of eternity there.
Ted Kaczynski
Died June 10, 2023 at age 81.
Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, was a domestic terrorist whose actions murdered three people and injured twenty three others in the 1970s and 1980s. He was eventually caught in 1998 and sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences. He died in prison, apparently of suicide. Good riddance!
Died June 12, 2023 at age 71.
A talented actor who was in a ton of films and TV shows, but somehow he never quite achieved superstardom. Best known for Once Upon A Time In America, Dead Heat, The Phantom, Deep Rising and many more.
Died June 12, 2023 at age 93.
Comic artist best known for his incredible work on The Amazing Spider-Man, along with many others.
His work was somehow both realistic and cartoonish at the same time, and had a tremendous sense of energy and motion. His art was absolutely brilliant and I could stare at it all day.
His son, John Romita Jr., is also a popular comic artist at Marvel. And yes, he's worked on Spider-Man as well!
Cormac McCarthy
Died June 13, 2023 at age 89.
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, best known for Blood Meridian, No Country For Old Men, The Road and many more.
Died June 13, 2023 at age 89.
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, best known for Blood Meridian, No Country For Old Men, The Road and many more.
Died June 15, 2023 at age 87.
English actress (Women In Love, Sunday Bloody Sunday) who later turned to politics.
Died June 23, 2023 at age 86.
Character actor best known for roles in The Rose, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now.
Died June 24, 2023 (sort of) at age 65.
British actor known for A Room With A View, The Killing Fields and Arachnophobia.
Sands disappeared back in January after going on a hike at Mt. Baldy in California. Sadly, he died shortly afterward, but his remains weren't discovered on June 24.
Died June 26, 2023 at age 89.
Perennial soap opera star who appeared on All My Children, Another World, Santa Barbara and As The World Turns. He also guest starred on virtually every TV show at one point or another, including Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Died June 29, 2023 at age 89.
Arkin was a very prolific character actor, as well as father of Adam Arkin. He starred in dozens of high profile films over the years, such as Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, The Rocketeer and Little Miss Sunshine. Arkin was always one of my favorites, as he brought a dry, deadpan wit to every role he played.
Whew! That's it for the first half of 2023. Let's hope the second half is relatively quiet!
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