For reasons I don’t understand, I’ve always had a thing for celebrity deaths. Weird, right? And in keeping with that weirdness, here is the most comprehensive list of the famous, near famous and formerly famous who left us in 2022. And there were some big ones, as the Grim Reaper had an especially productive year. I mean, a queen AND a pope in the same year? Two music giants and a soccer player considered the greatest ever? Impressive.
Actors and other entertainers
The biggest passing in the acting community was that of Sidney Poitier, 94, Hollywood’s first black star, the first black actor to win the best actor Oscar, and an icon for the civil rights movement. Other big-name actors of note: James Caan, 82, who rose to film fame as hot-headed Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. His filmography includes the three-hanky TV classic Brian’s Song, as well as Rollerball, Thief, Misery, and Elf. Ray Liotta, 67, the very intense actor who starred in Goodfellas and Field of Dreams. Oddly, he got his start on the soap opera Another World, where he played a character he described as “the nicest guy in the world”. William Hurt, 71, who became a top leading man in the 1980s, winning an Oscar for 1985’s Kiss of the Spider Woman and starring in The Big Chill and Body Heat.
Four directors of note yelled ‘Cut’ for the last time. Peter Bogdanovich, 82, director of important and popular films (The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon, What’s Up, Doc?) as well as massive flops (At Long Last Love, Nickleodeon). He got Oscar-winning performances from Cloris Leachman and Tatum O’Neal. Wolfgang Peterson, 81, the German director behind hits like Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, Troy, The Never Ending Story and The Perfect Storm. Jean-Luc Godard, 91, director of ‘French New Wave’ cinema, basically the kind of movie that only cinema snobs enjoy. and his polar opposite, Ivan Reitman, 75, the Canadian director of such massive comedy hits as Ghostbusters, Meatballs, National Lampoon’s Animal House, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, and many others.
It was not a good year for comedy. A passing that rocked a younger generation was that of Bob Saget, 65, most famous for his role as the widowed dad in the squeaky-clean sitcom Full House; in fact, Saget had a notoriously dirty sense of humour. Louie Anderson, 68, a wonderfully funny, self-deprecating comic who won an Emmy for playing Zack Galifinak’s mother (yes, mother), on the terrific comedy Baskets. Also gone in 2022 was Gilbert Gottfried, 67, crass and sometimes controversial comedian with a distinctive, oft-copied voice, and Gallagher, 74, a bizarre comic whose specialty was smashing watermelons on stage. I guess you had to be there.
Also in the acting and entertainment community … Yvette Mimieux, 80, who found stardom in the early 1960s in ‘The Time Machine,‘ ‘Where the Boys Are‘ and other films … Peter Robbins, 65, the original voice of Charlie Brown in ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas‘, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ and others. Sadly, he committed suicide ... Howard Hesseman, 81, who played the radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the great sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati … Sally Kellerman, 84, sultry actress who first rose to fame as the original ‘Hot Lips’ Hoolihan in the film version of M*A*S*H ... Estelle Harris, 93, who played George’s mother on Seinfeld. It wasn’t a good year for Seinfeld TV parents; Liz Sheridan, 93, who played Jerry’s mother, died just a few days later … David Birney, 83, who played Bernie on the 1970s TV comedy Bridget Loves Bernie … Kenneth Welsh, 80, prolific, Edmonton-born character actor in dozens of Canadian and other TV series and films … Philip Baker Hall, 90, baggy-eyed, gravelly-voiced character actor you’ve seen in a million TV shows and movies. You probably know him as the library detective, Bookman, in one famous episode of Seinfeld… Paul Sorvino, 83, burly character actor best known for his role in Goodfellas, and various other crime dramas … Nichelle Nichols, 89, who played Lt. Uhura on the original Star Trek, and famously shared a groundbreaking inter-racial kiss with Capt. Kirk … Clu Gulager, 93, rugged character actor best known for the 1960s TV western The Virginian … Louise Fletcher, 88, who won an Oscar for her famously villainous Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest … Robert Cormier, 33, Canadian actor from the CBC series Heartland … Angela Lansbury, 96, star of stage and screen, but most famous for her starring role in the long-runnning TV series Murder, She Wrote … Robbie Coltrane, 72, Hagrid in the Harry Potter films and star of the long-running British crime drama Cracker … Leslie Jordan, 67, diminutive comic actor best know for his role in Will and Grace, and more recently in Call Me Kat … Bob McGrath, 90, the super friendly original star of Sesame Street who stayed with the show for decades … Kirstie Alley, 71, who played the sultry but hilarious Rebecca – a foil to Ted Danson’s character Sam – on Cheers, winning an Emmy for her efforts … Stuart Margolin, 82, a character actor best known for playing the sidekick to James Garner’s private detective on the hit series The Rockford Files. … Robert Clary, 97, a real-life German POW who played one (Corp. Louis LeBeau) on Hogan’s Heroes … Anne Heche, 53, actress known for her 1990s TV roles … Tony Dow, 77, the big brother on Leave it to Beaver … Dwayne Hickman, 87, who starred as the lovelorn Dobie Gillis in a 1950s-60s sitcom … Tim Considine,81, the eldest son on My Three Sons … Larry Storch, 99, who played Cpl. Agarn on F Troop ... Tony Sirico, 79, who played Tony Walnuts on The Sopranos.
Music
Three legends sang their last in 2022. Loretta Lynn, 90, country music giant whose life was immortalized in the film Coal Miner’s Daughter. Jerry Lee Lewis, 87, a piano-pounding, wild-living giant of early rock and roll (Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On, Great Balls of Fire). He had a second career as a country singer when his rock career collapsed when it was revealed that he had married his 13-year-old cousin. How he lived to be 87 is a small miracle. And to end the year, Alberta’s own Canadian folk-country giant Ian Tyson, 87, whose Four Strong Winds was almost a second Canadian national anthem.
Also …Oliva Newton-John, 73, super-hot (in career and looks) singer from the 1970s-80s, with smash hits like I Honestly Love You, Have You Ever Been Mellow, Let’s Get Physical, and hits from the film Grease … Marilyn Bergman, 93, who wrote the lyrics to hit movie songs like The Way We Were (“misty water-coloured memories…”), hits like You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, and the lyrics to TV themes for shows like Maude, Alice and Good Times …Meat Loaf, 74, the larger-than-life rocker most famous for his Bat Out of Hell album (14 million copies sold) and hits like ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Lights’ and ‘I Will Do Anything for Love’ … Ronnie Spector, 78, the lead singer of the Ronettes, the 1960s vocal trio that had hits like Be My Baby and Baby, I Love You… Ralph Emery, 88, the dean of country music broadcasters for more than a half-century in both radio and television … Gary Booker, 76, singer-songwriter (A Whiter Shade of Pale, Conquistador) and pianist with Procol Harum … Taylor Hawkins, 50, the hard-hitting, charismatic drummer for Foo Fighters, the enduring Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band that has won 12 Grammys and released seven platinum albums … Bill Bourne, 64, longtime Alberta folk musician … David Ward, 66, much-loved fixture at CKUA Radio as an announcer and program director for 40 years … Jerry Doucette, 70, Canadian rocker with hits Mama Let Him Play and Nobody … Susan Jacks, 74, the Canadian singer of the hit song Which Way You Goin’, Billy?, and lead singer of the Poppy Family (Where Evil Grows) … Naomi Judd, 76, one half (and the better looking half) of the mother-daughter country hit making duo The Judds. Their hits included songs like Mama He’s Crazy, Why Not Me, Girls Night Out, Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain, Grandpa (Tell Me ’Bout the Good Old Days, Turn It Loose and Love Can Build a Bridge. She committed suicide one day before being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame … C.W. McCall, 93, a one-hit-wonder with the 70s tune Convoy. The record, which went to no. 1 on the country and pop charts, sold 20 million copies. In real life he was an advertising man named Bill Fries … Mickey Gilley, 86, a country singer who had 17 No. 1 country singles from 1974 to 1983, including I Overlooked an Orchid and Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time. His Texas nightclub was the inspiration for the film Urban Cowboy … Vangelis, 79, the composer who created the iconic theme to the movie Chariots of Fire … Andy Fletcher, 60, keyboardist and co-founder of the band Depeche Mode … Alan White, 72, drummer for Yes … Rosmarie Trapp, 93, last surviving daughter of the von Trapp family from The Sound of Music … Ronnie Hawkins, 87, the growling, hard-partying American-born Canadian rock and roller who helped launch the career of The Band and others … Jim Seals, 79, half of the soft-rock duo Seals and Croft, who has major hits in the 1970s like Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl and Hummingbird … Colio, 59, rapper known for Gangster’s Paradise… Jeff Cook, 73, founder of the country hit-making group Alabama … Dan McCafferty, 76, who as the frontman of the Scottish rock band Nazareth scored an international hit in the mid-1970s with the ballad Love Hurts … Irene Cara, 63, who sang the title tracks for 80s hit films Flashdance (What A Feeling), for which she won an Oscar and a Grammy, and Fame … Christine McVie, 79, co-lead singer of the supergroup Fleetwood Mac … Angelo Badalamenti, 85, who wrote the hypnotic theme to Twin Peaks, David Lynch’s 1990s television drama series, and the music for five Lynch films, including Blue Velvet (1986) … Bobby Rydell, 79, teen idol singer from the 1950s … Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, 40, DJ on the Ellen Degeneres show.
Sports
The biggest passing was that of Brazil’s legendary soccer star Pele, 82, widely seen as the greatest soccer player of all time.
It was a very bad year for hockey, with Canada’s game losing two of its greats within a couple of weeks. Guy Lafleur, 70, was one of the top 3 greatest Montreal Canadiens, which also made him one of the greatest players in NHL history. The great New York Islanders teams of the 1980s lost some of their greats. Hockey Hall of Fame member Clark Gillies, 67, was the captain of the New York Islanders when they won four Stanley Cups in a row. And still with the Islanders, Mike Bossy, 65, was one of the top 100 players in NHL history, a four-time Stanley Cup champion who was also a Conn Smythe, Lady Byng (three times) and Calder trophy winner. And Jean Potvin, 79, another member of the Islander dynasty… Borje Salming, 71, famed Toronto Maple Leafs star and the first Swedish NHLer, and Emile Francis, 95, New York Rangers famed coach and GM .
Also in sports …
Scott Hall, 61, World Wrestling Entertainment superstar whose most famous persona was Razor Ramon … Dan Reeves, 77, who coached NFL teams to the Super Bowl four times – and lost all four …Roger Angell, 101, sportswriter known as Baseball’s Poet Laureate ... Doug Mitchell, 83, former commissioner of the Canadian Football League ... Bill Russell, 88, who led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships … Gaylord Perry, 84, MLB pitcher with 314 games and 3,500 strikeouts … Franco Harris, 72, NFL Hall of Fame receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers, famous for his ‘Immaculate Reception’ catch 50 years ago … Ernie Shavers, 78, heavyweight boxer … Tom Weiskopf, 79, British Open golf champion … Vin Scully, 94, often imitated voice of the L.A. Dodgers for 67 years …
Politics and elsewhere
The most significant death in 2022, judging from the thousands of hours of TV coverage and millions of words written, was that of Queen Elizabeth II, 96, who spent a record 70 years on the British throne. And as the year ended, so did the life of Pope Benedict XVI, 95, the only pope in 600 years to retire. He did that 10 years ago, citing ill health.
Mikhail Gorbachev, 91, the Soviet premier who oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet Union, making him one of the most important figures of the 20th century, and the last good Russian. … Shinzo Abe, 67, who was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister (only eight years). Abe was assassinated at a campaign rally in an act of political violence that shocked Japan … Alex McDonough, 77, former leader of the federal NDP … P.J. O’Rourke, 74, famously caustic and often very funny American satirist, columnist and best-selling author … Steve Fonyo, 56, a Canadian hero for completing the trans-Canada run for cancer research first attempted by Terry Fox. Fonyo’s life took a tragic turn when he turned to drugs, faced a number of criminal charges and homelessness … David Milgaard, 66, the Canadian whose wrongful conviction and eventual release after 23 years in prison led to a lifetime of advocacy in support of the wrongly convicted … Robert Vlasic, 96, the man behind Vlasic pickles … Patrick Watson, 93, a giant of Canadian TV journalism whose 1960s-era news show, This Hour Has Seven Days, was taken off the air for being too controversial … Jean Pare, 95, the small-town Alberta cook who created the Company’s Coming cookbook series that sold more than 30 million copies … David McCullough, 93, bestselling American historian, whose books on U.S. history were huge sellers. His soothing voice was heard on many American Experience documentaries, and on the Ken Burns doc, The Civil War … Sasheen Littlefeather, 75, the actress who famously took to the stage to reject Marlon Brando’s Oscar in 1975 … Bernard Shaw, 82, CNN’s lead anchor for 20 years … Ivana Trump, 73, one of Donald’s many exes … Nicholas Evans, 72, author of the bestseller The Horse Whisperer … Paul Coker, 93, legendary Mad Magazine cartoonist, best known for this recurring cartoon, Horrifying Cliches … and to end the year, American TV pioneer Barbara Walters, 93, the first female TV news superstar, and original host of The View.
And with that … Happy New Year!
In This Corner 