Tag: News

In an era when playing the ditzy blonde was all the rage, Loni Anderson turned that trope on its head and found acclaim.

Anderson is best known for playing the smart, sophisticated, go-getter receptionist in the late 1970s series "WKRP in Cincinnati."

Her performance earned her three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations over the show's four-season run.

"WKRP" turned out to be Anderson's high water mark professionally, but her fame soared through the 1980s and 1990s with her marriage to Burt Reynolds. Their relationship and messy split were constant tabloid fodder.

Anderson died on August 3 following a prolonged illness.

Armani's name has been synonymous with high fashion for the last 50 years.

From dressing practically every famous person for the last half century to using his talents to do the costuming for movies like "American Gigolo," "The Untouchables," "The Wolf of Wall Street," and "The Dark Knight," Giorgio Armani used his eye for fashion and innovation to become a cultural icon.

Armani died on September 4. No cause was given.

Baena was known for writing and directing comedic independent movies like "Life After Beth," "The Little Hours," and "Horse Girl."

Many of them starred his wife, Aubrey Plaza.

He also wrote the 2004 movie "I Heart Huckabees" with director David O. Russell.

Baena died by suicide on January 3.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Baker was known for his tough guy roles, playing heroes and villains with equal intensity for close to four decades.

The Texas native found stardom in 1973 playing the real-life moonshine-busting Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in the surprise hit "Walking Tall."

A string of memorable roles utilizing his intimidating presence followed. He played a crooked cop opposite Chevy Chase in the 1985 hit comedy "Fletch," teamed up with Nick Nolte to try to stop a crazed Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of "Cape Fear," and, between those movies, played a fictional version of Babe Ruth opposite Robert Redford in the 1984 sports classic "The Natural."

Baker also has the distinction of playing both a villain (1987's "The Living Daylights") and a good guy (1995's "GoldenEye," 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies") in the James Bond franchise.

Baker died on May 7. No cause was given.

Burrell was a Food Network star known for her spiky platinum hair and her enthusiasm for the culinary arts. After getting her start in Italian restaurants in New York City, she rose to fame after appearing as a sous chef to Mario Batali on "Iron Chef America."

She soon became a staple on the Food Network, appearing on "Chef Wanted," "Chopped," and "Food Network Star," and hosting the Emmy-nominated "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and "Worst Cooks in America."

Burrell died on June 17; no cause was given.

Button was one of the greats in men's figure skating.

His dominance in the sport began in the late 1940s, when he began winning on the amateur circuit by landing moves no one had ever seen done before in competition, including the double axel and the triple jump.

He would go on to win two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships.

Once he retired, he went on to become an Emmy-winning analyst and even was one of the minds behind the popular 1970s competition show "Battle of the Network Stars," in which celebrities challenged one another in various sports competitions.

Button died on January 30. No cause was given.

A beloved actor on the stage and screen for decades, Chamberlain was the face of the acclaimed 1980s miniseries "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun," both of which garnered him Emmy nominations.

He also found acclaim onstage, starring in revivals of "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music."

In the 2000s, Chamberlain had memorable guest-starring roles on shows like "Will and Grace" and "Desperate Housewives."

Chamberlain died on March 29 of complications following a stroke.

Cheney was the 46th Vice President of the United States. He served two terms as VP to George W. Bush.

He was one of the main leaders in the country's response to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, including the global war on terror, in which he alleged that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, a claim that was never proven.

In popular culture, Cheney was a fixture on "Saturday Night Live" during his tenure as VP, often portrayed by Darrell Hammond. In Oliver Stone's 2008 George W. Bush biopic, "W.," Cheney was played by Richard Dreyfuss. In the 2018 Cheney biopic "Vice," directed by Adam McKay, Christian Bale played Cheney.

Cheney died on November 3 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said in a statement.

For 50 years, fans of "General Hospital" knew Charleson as Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a role she played since 1977.

Charleson was beloved by fans and used her celebrity to support charities for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS awareness.

Charleson's other credits include "Adam 12," "Barnaby Jones," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," and "The Rockford Files."

She also starred in "Happy Days" and gave Ron Howard his first on-screen kiss.

Charleson died on January 12 following a long illness.

This two-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is one of the key figures responsible for bringing reggae music to the mainstream.

Starring in the 1972 hit movie "The Harder They Come," he also wrote and performed many of the songs on the soundtrack, including "You Can Get It If You Really Want." The film and soundtrack are regarded as landmark works in popularizing the reggae sound globally.

Cliff died on November 24 following a seizure and battle with pneumonia.

D'Angelo was one of the major talents to usher in the neo-soul sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

His 1995 debut album, "Brown Sugar," turned him into an international star, thanks to the chart-topping song "Lady." The album would end up going platinum.

He became a sex symbol with his second album, "Voodoo," which featured the hit song "(Untitled) How Does It Feel," which had a famously raunchy music video in which the star appeared to be nude. The song would go on to earn him a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance; the album would also win best R&B album.

D'Angelo died on October 14 following a bout with cancer.

Faithfull was a fixture in the London music scene during the 1960s.

She was discovered by The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, which led to her finding instant stardom not just for her chart-topping music, like "As Tears Go By," which became a top 5 single in the UK, but also for her hard-partying ways alongside her then-flame Mick Jagger.

Throughout the 1960s, she was the inspiration for Stones hits "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Wild Horses" while being a co-writer on "Sister Morphine." But she was also in a deep addiction to drugs. She was famously found wearing nothing but a fur rug during a 1967 drug bust at Keith Richards' Sussex home.

Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 album "Broken English," which earned her a Grammy nomination.

Other hit songs include "This Little Bird," "Summer Nights," and "Come and Stay With Me."

She also starred in movies like 1967's "I'll Never Forget What's'isname" and 1968's "The Girl on the Motorcycle."

Faithfull died on January 30. No cause was given.

Flack's smooth R&B vocals made her a star in the 1970s with Grammy-winning hits like "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," "Killing Me Softly with His Song," and "Feel Like Makin' Love."

Over her career, Flack scored six top-10 pop hits and 10 top-10 R&B singles. She was also the first artist to win the record of the year Grammy in two consecutive years, for 1973's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and 1974's "Killing Me Softly with His Song."

Flack was introduced to a new generation in the 1990s when The Fugees did a Grammy-winning cover of "Killing Me Softly" in 1996.

Flack died on February 24. No cause was given.

Foreman was a two-time heavyweight boxing champion, winning his titles in 1973 at the age of 24 and again in 1994 at the age of 45.

Foreman fought formidable legends throughout his long-lasting boxing career, including Muhammad Ali in 1974 — dubbed The Rumble in the Jungle, one of the most-watched televised sporting events of the time — and Evander Holyfield in 1991.

Toward the end of his career, Foreman became the face of Salton Inc.'s George Foreman Grill, making millions through his household name.

His family announced on social media that he died on March 21. No cause was given. Foreman was 76.

As the lead guitarist and founding member of the band Kiss, Ace Frehley is cemented as glam rock royalty.

Frehley's guitar licks are found on all of the band's hits, most notably "Shock Me" and "Cold Gin."

Frehley was also a successful solo artist, releasing nine albums.

But, for most, he'll forever be known as his face-painted Kiss alter-ego "The Spaceman."

Frehley died on October 16. Weeks before his death, TMZ reported he fell in his studio, causing a brain bleed.

Dr. Jane Goodall dedicated her life to animal activism, making her a beloved figure worldwide.

Since traveling into the wilds of Tanzania in the summer of 1960 at the age of 26, Goodall went on to become the foremost expert on chimpanzees.

Her decades-long study on the species revealed that primates exhibit a range of behaviors similar to those of humans, including communication and personality traits.

She was named a Dame of the British Empire in 2003 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.

Goodall died on October 1 of natural causes.

In an era of hip-hop where the producers were as prominent as the artists, Irv Gotti was one of the shining stars of the late 1990s and 2000s.

Gotti, who was born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. and later went by DJ Irv, came on the scene as A&R for Def Jam. He brought in artists that would define the next generation of hip-hop to the label like Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule.

His coming out party was producing one of Jay-Z's first hits, "Can I Live," from his 1996 debut album "Reasonable Doubt."

Soon after, his Irv Gotti persona was created when he founded the rap label Murder Inc. Records, bringing along artists like DMX and Ja Rule and signing others like Ashanti.

There he became the face of smash hits like Jay-Z's "Can I Get A…," DMX's "What's My Name," Ja Rule's "Holla Holla," Fat Joe's "What's Luv?," Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real," and Ashanti's "Foolish."

In recent years, Gotti had suffered strokes and battled diabetes-related issues. He died on February 5. No cause was given.

Greene's work over the decades opened doors for Indigenous actors in Hollywood.

Born on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada, Greene began performing on stage in the 1970s. By the end of the decade, he made it to Hollywood, scoring bit roles on TV and in movies.

Greene's breakout role was playing Kicking Bird, one of the main supporting characters in Kevin Costner's 1990 epic "Dances with Wolves." He would go to earn an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Greene ran with the attention, landing roles in big movies through the rest of the '90s and beyond, like "Maverick" (1994), "Die Hard with a Vengeance" (1995), "The Green Mile" (1999), "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009), "Wind River" (2017), and "Molly's Game" (2017).

Most recently, he starred in episodes of "Reservation Dogs" and "Tulsa King."

Greene died on September 1; no cause was given.

Hackman was a superstar in the skin of a character actor.

From his breakout in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" to his final movie, 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport," this skilled actor did it all with low-key confidence.

Even when he played the diabolical villain Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies, Hackman's deft performance was never about upstaging other actors.

But audiences couldn't help but gravitate to him. Taking on roles in projects that would become classics like the gritty cop "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection," which earned him an Oscar; a surveillance expert in "The Conversation;" a tough but fair basketball coach in "Hoosiers;" and showing his comedy chops in "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage," Hackman became beloved.

He abruptly retired in 2004 and spent the rest of his life writing novels and enjoying life with his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on February 26. An investigation is ongoing.

Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, was one of the most famous pro wrestlers in history. He was instrumental in transforming the WWE into a global entertainment behemoth, headlined the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985, and won six WWE Championships throughout his career.

In the mid-2000s, Hogan starred in a popular VH1 reality show, "Hogan Knows Best," which followed his family life.

Hogan died at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24.

Jaglom was one of the driving forces of independent cinema in America and an important figure in the "New Hollywood" wave that hit Hollywood in the 1970s.

Jaglom started out as an actor in New York City, making friends with the likes of Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern. By the late 1960s, he went out to Los Angeles with friend Peter Bogdanovich, which led to him landing small acting roles, including guest spots on Sally Field sitcoms "The Flying Nun" and "Gidget."

He then turned his attention to working behind the camera. Thanks to his connection to Nicholson, he did some editing on the seminal "New Hollywood" movie "Easy Rider" (1969) and then started making his own movies like "A Safe Place" (1971), which featured Nicholson and Orson Welles (Jaglom and Welles would remain friends until Welles' death), and "Tracks" starring "Easy Rider" director and star Dennis Hopper.

Jaglom would seal his indie auteur title with movies like "New Year's Day" (1989) and "Last Summer in the Hamptons" (1995).

Jaglom died on September 22; no cause was given.

Katt started his career as a child actor landing roles in "Fantasy Island" and "CHiPs" in the 1980s, but it was the roles he played as an adult that would cement his legacy.

From "Dazed and Confused" to "Boiler Room," Katt often played the heel, and dispensing wiseass remarks with a dark stare became his signature.

Katt became a favorite of directors like Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in "The Limey" and "Full Frontal," and Christopher Nolan, who gave him parts in "Insomnia" and "The Dark Knight."

The actor also played the edgy teacher Harry Senate in the series "Boston Public."

Katt died on April 8. His family confirmed to Deadline that he died by suicide.

Diane Keaton starred in some of the most memorable films in the history of Hollywood.

Before her iconic turn as the title character in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," which earned her an Oscar in 1978, Keaton rose to prominence for her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." Keaton reprised that role in the franchise's two subsequent films. She also starred in "Reds," "Father of the Bride," "The First Wives Club," and "Marvin's Room."

Keaton died on October 11 in California. No cause was given.

Over a 50-year career, Kier worked with everyone from Andy Warhol to Lars von Trier.

Starting his career playing the heartthrob main character in Warhol's experimental B-movies in the early 1970s ("Flesh for Frankenstein" and "Blood for Dracula"), the German actor with piercing blue eyes would go on to star in over 200 films, from main roles in Von Trier's masterpieces ("Breaking the Waves," "Melancholia") to scene-stealing appearances in blockbusters like "Blade" and "Armageddon."

Kier died on November 23; no cause was given.

Val Kilmer was a quintessential movie star who delivered some of the most memorable performances in movie history.

As the hotshot flyer "Iceman" in 1986's Top Gun, he became a scene stealer who could hold his own against Tom Cruise.

From there, Kilmer shot to superstardom in movies like 1988's "Willow," Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic "The Doors," in which he played the band's legendary frontman Jim Morrison; 1993's "Tombstone," in which he played Doc Holliday; and Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat," in which he played a thief opposite Robert De Niro.

That same year, he would also become a major box office draw playing Batman in the 1995 movie "Batman Forever."

In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer and recovered, but his voice was permanently damaged from a tracheotomy.

His final movie appearance was reprising his Iceman role in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick."

Kilmer died on April 1 of pneumonia.

With over 200 movie and TV roles, Ladd was the epitome of the character actor.

Over her career, she garnered three Oscar nominations, three Primetime Emmy nominations, and four Golden Globes nominations.

She's known best for starring in movies like Martin Scorsese's 1974 drama "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," playing the sassy waitress Flo opposite Ellen Burstyn, and the David Lynch 1990 classic "Wild at Heart," in which she starred alongside her daughter, Laura Dern. Ladd was Oscar-nominated for both performances.

Ladd's other credits include "Chinatown," "Rambling Rose," which was another movie she starred opposite her daughter (and earned her third Oscar nomination), and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," where she played the mother of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase).

Ladd died on November 3 at her home in California, with her daughter by her side.

As an MTV veejay in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ananda Lewis was a standout. After getting her start hosting BET's "Teen Summit," she moved over to MTV, hosting its hit shows "MTV Live," "Total Request Live," and "Hot Zone." She also had her own show, "The Ananda Lewis Show," which ran from 2001 to 2002.

In 2020, Lewis announced that she had been battling breast cancer for two years. Last October, she revealed her cancer had progressed to stage four. Lewis died on June 11.

Lynch was the visionary director of surrealist films like "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet," "Mulholland Drive," and the hit TV series "Twin Peaks."

His groundbreaking works blended elements of everything from horror to film noir to surrealism, creating a uniquely skewed vision of America.

After adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune" in 1984, resulting in a box office flop, Lynch produced a string of surrealist works that would define his career: 1986's "Blue Velvet," 1990's "Wild at Heart," 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (the prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," which ran from 1990 to 1991), and 1997's "Lost Highway."

Each title showcased Lynch's seemingly limitless creativity as he pushed the boundaries of narrative structure while dazzling the viewer with exquisite production design and cinematography.

The Lynch family announced his passing on January 16. In August 2024, the filmmaker announced that he had emphysema following decades of smoking, but said he hadn't smoked in over two years.

Playing memorable roles in Quentin Tarantino movies like "Reservoir Dogs," the "Kill Bill" movies, "The Hateful Eight," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Madsen was known for his ultra-cool tough guy characters.

Outside of the Tarantino universe, he had memorable roles as a slick cop chasing an alien in 1995's "Species" and a mobster in 1997's "Donnie Brasco."

Madsen had close to 350 movie credits to his name, dating back to the 1980s with small roles in "The Natural," where he played an egotistical baseball player opposite Robert Redford, and a blink-and-you'd-miss-it part in the hit Matthew Broderick thriller "WarGames."

But the role he'll forever be known best for was playing the crook Mr. Blonde in Tarantino's 1992 masterpiece, "Reservoir Dogs." Sporting black shades, a black suit with a white shirt, and a skinny black tie, Madsen had the memorable line, "Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" He also famously strutted to the song "Stuck in the Middle With You" while torturing a cop.

Madsen died on July 3 at his Malibu home. No cause was given.

After working as everything from a disc jockey to the host of a kids' sci-fi series to a chart-topping artist (with the 1959 spoken-word tune "Deck of Cards"), Wink Martindale found his true calling as a game show host in the 1960s.

His first was NBC's "What's This Song?" in 1964. Then in 1972 came his first hit, "Gambit." That was followed by the even more popular "Tic-Tac-Dough," which ran until the late 1980s.

Martindale went on to host other game shows through the decades like "High Rollers," "The Last Word," "The Great Getaway Game," "Trivial Pursuit," "Debt," and "Instant Recall."

Martindale died on April 15. No cause was given.

Son of the former Australian prime minister, William McMahon, Julian was in the spotlight from his birth, and it only grew as he got older.

Born in 1968, he quickly became a celebrity in his home country in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a fixture on popular Aussie soap operas like "The Power, The Passion" and "Home and Away."

But that was just a small sample of his talents. In the late 1990s, he had made the move to American television, starring in NBC's "Profiler" and the WB's "Charmed."

Then he got the role that would change his life: the dashing plastic surgeon Christian Troy in the Ryan Murphy FX series hit "Nip/Tuck." It would go on to run for six seasons and earn McMahon a Golden Globe best actor nomination.

After that, he played Doctor Doom in the early 2000s "Fantastic Four" movies, had a stint on "FBI: Most Wanted," and the Netflix series "The Residence." One of his final roles was opposite Nicolas Cage in the 2024 movie "The Surfer."

McMahon died of cancer on July 2.

Moore's R&B sound influenced everyone from Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen.

Alongside Dave Prater, Moore found fame in the 1960s with Sam & Dave, a duo who had hits like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man."

"Soul Man" would gain renewed popularity in the late 1970s when Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi began performing the song as their alter egos, R&B singers The Blues Brothers, on "Saturday Night Live." The song would continue to find new fans in 1980 when "The Blues Brothers" movie was released.

Moore went solo in 1970 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Moore died on January 10 from complications while recovering from surgery.

Ozzy Osbourne, known as the "Prince of Darkness," rose to fame in the '70s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath.

Although Osbourne was a cofounding member of the band, he was fired in 1979 amid his much-publicized struggle with alcohol and drugs. The following year, he released his debut solo album, "Blizzard of Ozz," which went multi-platinum in the US. His 13th and final solo album, "Patient Number 9," was released in 2022. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024.

In the early 2000s, Osbourne starred on the popular MTV reality show "The Osbournes" alongside his wife, Sharon, and two of their children, Kelly and Jack.

Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003. He died on July 22 while "surrounded by love," his family confirmed in a statement to The Sun.

Thanks to her stunning beauty, Page became a fixture in both French cinema and Hollywood through the 1960s.

She's best known for playing Madame Anais, the owner of a high-class brothel in Luis Buñuel's 1967 masterpiece "Belle de Jour."

In the movie, Anais oversees the actions of Catherine Deneuve's character Severine, a bored housewife who turns to prostitution to spice up her life. But she only works in the afternoon while her husband is away at work, leading to Anais calling her "Belle de Jour" ("Beauty of the Day").

Page also starred in "El Cid," the 1961 medieval epic also starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, and Billy Wilder's 1970 film "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes."

Page died on February 14. No cause was given.

After showing up on Broadway and some small TV roles (including a memorable episode of "The Twilight Zone") through the 1960s, Robert Redford dominated the 1970s with one hit after another: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Jeremiah Johnson," "The Candidate," "The Way We Were," "Three Days of the Condor," "All the President's Men," and "The Sting," which would earn him an Oscar nomination.

Redford solidified his stardom in the 1980s and beyond with movies like "The Natural" (1984), "Out of Africa" (1985), and "Sneakers" (1992), but being on screen wasn't enough. He also directed acclaimed works like "Quiz Show" (1994) and "A River Runs Through It" (1992). But his directorial debut, 1980's "Ordinary People," would give him something he never got from his acting: an Oscar win.

Redford was also a cofounder of the Sundance Film Festival, which, along with blazing a trail for countless film festivals that happen in the US year-round to this day, also launched the filmmaking careers of everyone from Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino to Damien Chazelle and Ryan Coogler.

Redford died on September 16; no cause was given.

Spencer is best known for playing Dee Thomas on the hit 1970s sitcom "What's Happening!!"

After her child-acting days were over, she went on to earn a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine. She would work as a veterinarian for two decades.

Spencer died on August 11 of cancer.

After gaining fame in the 1960s and 1970s in his home country of England, Stamp found international acclaim when he played the villain General Zod in "Superman II" (1980).

Stamp would then go on to find steady work for decades, cementing his character actor bona fides in movies like "The Hit" (1984), "Legal Eagles" (1986), "Wall Street" (1987), "Young Guns" (1988), and "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (1994).

At 61, he was introduced to a new generation as a crook out to get revenge for the death of his daughter in Steven Soderbergh's acclaimed "The Limey" (1999). This led to him scoring roles in major Hollywood movies like "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" (1999), "Elektra" (2005), and "Murder Mystery" (2019). His final movie credit was Edgar Wright's thriller "Last Night in Soho" (2021).

Stamp died on August 17; no cause was given.

Stone was a member of the female hip-hop trio The Sequence, who is known for songs like "Funk You Up" and "Monster Jam."

She later launched a solo career in the late 1990s with her debut album, "Black Diamond." Her 2001 song, "Wish I Didn't Miss You," became one of her most popular songs.

Stone's publicist told TMZ that Stone died in a car crash on March 1 after performing in Montgomery, Alabama. The Grammy-nominated artist was traveling in a van with eight other people, including backup singers and crew, when it crashed on Interstate 65.

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in California, was known as the founder and frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, a psychedelic-soul band active through the '60s, '70s, and early '80s. He was behind classic songs like "Dance to the Music" and "Everyday People."

In a statement distributed to the press, Stone's three children celebrated their father's "extraordinary musical legacy" and "enduring creative spirit."

"Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music," the family wrote. "His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable."

Stone's death was announced on June 9 after a prolonged battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Swit portrayed one of the most memorable characters in TV history, playing the head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the legendary series "M*A*S*H."

Swit took over the role from Sally Kellerman, who originated the part in the 1970 Robert Altman movie the series is based on.

Her performance earned her 10 Emmy nominations and two wins. Swit and costar Alan Alda were the only two actors on the show who appeared in the pilot episode and the famed two-and-a-half-hour finale, which was seen by more than 100 million viewers.

Swit died on May 30 of natural causes.

Trachtenberg dedicated her life to acting and found fame in the process.

She landed her first major role in the mid-1990s as Nona F. Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete & Pete." In 1996, she played the lead in the Nickelodeon-produced movie "Harriet the Spy."

By the early 2000s, she had landed more mature roles in movies like the comedy "Euro Trip" and the indie drama "Mysterious Skin," both of which were released in 2004. At the same time, she was gaining fandom on the small screen playing Dawn Summers on "Buffy and the Vampire Slayer," and later appearing as Georgina Sparks on the hit CW series "Gossip Girl," which ran from 2007 to 2012.

Trachtenberg was found dead in a New York City apartment on February 26. A cause of death hasn't yet been determined.

This Atlanta rapper brought snap music to the masses thanks to his hit 2006 songs "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

Anthony Platt, better known by his stage name DJ Unk, was a fixture in the Atlanta rap scene in the late 1990s. He DJed at everything from pep rallies to proms.

He released his first album, "Beat'n Down Yo Block!" in 2006 and found huge acclaim due to his two big hit songs, "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

"Walk it Out" got as high as No. 10 on the Billboard charts and went platinum.

His second album, "2econd Season," was released in 2008 but didn't find the same acclaim as his debut.

In 2009, due to non-stop touring and hard partying, DJ Unk suffered a heart attack.

DJ Unk died on January 24. His wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, said in a Facebook post that he died in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Uecker had a respectable career as a Major League Baseball backup catcher on four clubs through the 1960s, playing with his hometown Milwaukee Brewers and winning a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was his work off the field that made him one of the most memorable figures in MLB history.

After retiring in 1967, Uecker started his second career as a broadcaster, calling games for the Brewers (which he did until his death) and being the color man for network games.

His self-deprecating style made him a likable figure, leading to him becoming a fixture on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Baseball." Suddenly, Uecker landed everything from beer commercials to a hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live."

But his most memorable gigs outside of baseball were playing sportswriter George Owens on the hit TV show "Mr. Belvedere" from 1985 to 1990 and starring as sarcastic broadcaster Harry Doyle in the beloved 1989 movie "Major League" and its sequels.

Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

He died on January 16 after battling small-cell lung cancer since 2023.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner is best known for playing Theodore "Theo" Huxtable in "The Cosby Show." In 1986, he received an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series.

More recently, Warner starred in the Fox medical drama "The Resident" for five seasons.

Warner drowned off the coast of Costa Rica on July 20, Costa Rican National Police told ABC News.

Through the 1980s, he sat on the corner at the bar where everybody knows your name. In the process, he became a TV icon.

As Norm Peterson, who always threw out a funny one-liner when he entered the bar on the hit TV series "Cheers," Wendt created one of the most memorable characters in TV history and garnered six consecutive Emmy nominations.

The Chicago native, who started his career in the 1970s at the famed Second City improv troupe, also landed roles in hit movies like "Fletch" (1985), "Gung Ho" (1986), and "The Little Rascals" (1994), and played the grumpy dad opposite Macaulay Culkin in Michael Jackson's 1991 music video for "Black or White."

Through the decades, Wendt was also a regular on "Saturday Night Live," playing a superfan of the Chicago Bears who called the team "Da Bears." (Wendt is the uncle of "SNL" alum Jason Sudeikis.)

Wendt died on May 20. No cause was given.

As a founding member of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson is responsible for mega hits that blended pop music with more modern, avant-garde sounds.

From 1962 to 1966, the Beach Boys had 10 top-10 hits and seven top-40 chart entries, most of which were written or co-written and produced by Wilson.

Along with classics like "Good Vibrations" and "Help Me, Rhonda," Wilson is also responsible for pushing the band's sound into new dimensions, particularly with the 1966 album "Pet Sounds." Its blend of pop, jazz, and avant-garde influences brought widespread critical acclaim and inspired The Beatles to make "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Wilson struggled most of his life with mental illness, which was explored in the 2014 movie, "Love & Mercy" starring John Cusack and Paul Dano playing Wilson at different stages in his life.

Wilson's death was announced by his family in June. No cause was given. In February 2024, it was revealed Wilson was battling dementia.

Yarrow was a singer-songwriter who was a member of the iconic folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary.

Along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, the trio had six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and won five Grammys. Their major hit was "Puff the Magic Dragon," which Yarrow cowrote.

Yarrow died on January 7 after a battle with bladder cancer.

Although his name might not ring a bell, you have definitely seen Harris Yulin's work. Over his five-decade career, Yulin had many memorable roles in movies and TV, most notably as villains.

He played an angry judge in 1989's "Ghostbusters II" and a corrupt national security advisor opposite Harrison Ford in 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," but his all-time best villain role was playing the crooked cop Mel, who meets his fate thanks to Al Pacino's Tony Montana in the beloved 1983 gangster movie "Scarface."

Yulin died on June 10. No cause was given.

In her cookbook "Go-To Dinners," Garten said her overnight mac and cheese is the "creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese."  

And believe me, she's not exaggerating.

To make Garten's dish for four, you'll need:

• 8 ounces of cavatappi or elbow macaroni
• 3 cups of heavy cream
• 2 cups of Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 ½ cups of fine fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of sharp white cheddar, grated
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Garten's mac and cheese couldn't be easier to assemble — you don't even need to make a roux. Plus, it requires less than 30 minutes in the oven, so it's an easy dish to bake right before Thanksgiving dinner.

More importantly, Garten's overnight mac and cheese is extremely delicious. I love the crunchy breadcrumbs on top, and the sauce is decadent without being too rich. When I made this dish for the first time at Friendsgiving, my fiancé praised it for being "exceptionally creamy," while a friend said it tasted "like a hug in your mouth."

It's my favorite "Barefoot Contessa" mac and cheese recipe, although Garten's "grown-up" mac and cheese is a close second.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's overnight mac and cheese here.

I wasn't much of a cook before the pandemic, unless you count warming up frozen food from Trader Joe's. But when I wanted to contribute something to my family's holiday menu, this recipe seemed like a good place to start.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin, which appears in her first cookbook, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," is 100% foolproof.

Plus, it tastes amazing.

"I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two," Garten writes in the recipe's description. "If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style."

To make Garten's gratin for four, you'll need:

• 1 pound of russet potatoes (2 large ones)
• 1 small fennel bulb
• Half of a yellow onion
• 1 ½ cups of Gruyère cheese
• 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon of heavy cream

If you're trying to make the dish for a larger party, Garten also has a recipe that serves 10.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin is such a satisfying dish, with perfectly cooked potatoes and a deliciously cheesy cream thanks to the Gruyère. The sautéed fennel also adds a lovely mild sweetness to each bite.

This is easily one of my favorite holiday side dishes, and it's so much better than mashed potatoes.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's potato-fennel gratin here.

Garten included this corn-bread recipe in the republished version of "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," calling it the "best corn bread I've ever made!"

I decided to try the recipe for the first time before a Friendsgiving party a few years ago, where it was a huge hit.

To make Garten's corn bread, which serves 10 to 12 people, you'll need:

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 1 cup of fine cornmeal (Garten says this makes moister corn bread than medium grind)
• 1 cup of sugar
• ½ pound of unsalted butter
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder

Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread is one of my favorite "Barefoot Contessa" recipes of all time. It's perfectly baked and delectably moist, which is evident the minute you cut the first slice.

The warm, golden hue makes for a stunning centerpiece, and the corn bread just tastes so deliciously fluffy. It's the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and I can never resist getting seconds — no matter how stuffed I am.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread here.