"The Big Bang Theory" is notable for its characters' obsession with all things nerdy in pop culture—and
their commitment to meeting the icons they love. As a result, the show has featured countless
cameos from fan-favorite veteran actors. Sadly, we've already lost too many of these stars.
Actor Carol Ann Susi may never have actually appeared on screen in "The Big Bang Theory."
But over 39 episodes, viewers came to love her as the voice of Howard Wolowitz's overbearing
mother.
"Howard! What are you doing?"
"I'm taking a bath!"
"I hope that's all you're doing! We share that tub!"
Susi's career spanned four decades and over 80 acting credits. She appeared in various
films and on popular TV shows including "Seinfeld," "ER," and "That '70s Show".
According to "The Hollywood Reporter," Susi died of cancer-related complications in 2014.
She was 62. Following her passing, fans speculated that castmate Melissa Rauch might take over
voicing Mrs. Wolowitz because of her spot-on impression. However, showrunner Steve Molaro
told "The Hollywood Reporter,"
"I don't think any of us could bring ourselves to do it."
Ultimately, Susi's death was written into the show, with characters gathering to mourn
Mrs. Wolowitz after Howard reveals his mother died in her sleep. The episode ends with a
toast to Mrs. Wolowitz, whom Leonard honors as "a loving mother" to them all.
Casting agent-turned-actor Jane Galloway Heitz had a small but memorable role in Season 2's
"The Friendship Algorithm." She appeared as Mildred, a woman waiting in line beside Sheldon
at a bookstore. Sheldon has been struggling to befriend a colleague, and decides to practice
by striking up a conversation with Mildred about the book she's holding: "Coping With
the Death of a Loved One." However, like most of Sheldon's social interactions in the early
seasons of "The Big Bang Theory," it doesn't go well.
"Family or friend?"
"Family."
"Too bad. If it had been a friend I'm available to fill the void."
Galloway Heitz might not have been the most well-known actor on "The Big Bang Theory,"
but she'd had a lengthy career playing minor characters in other popular shows like "Grey's
Anatomy," "Prison Break," and "Glee." Before pursuing an acting career, she ran a successful
casting agency in Chicago, helping "Office" alum Steve Carell and "Modern Family's" Eric
Stonestreet get their starts.
Galloway Heitz died of congestive heart failure in 2019, per "The Hollywood Reporter." She
was 78 years old.
Actor Adam West, best known for playing Batman in the 1960s ABC series of the same name,
guest-starred in a stand-alone episode of "The Big Bang Theory." In the 200th episode
of the series, "The Celebration Experimentation," the gang celebrates Sheldon's 36th birthday.
Stuck for ideas for a suitable gift, Leonard, Howard, and Raj decide to track down West
and bring him to the party. In true "Big Bang Theory" fashion, they get into a heated argument
with West over who the best Batman actor is.
"Oh, please. Even my poodles know Bale's overrated!"
Leonard hopes West's appearance at the party will make up for an unpleasant experience
Sheldon had as a kid. However, it doesn't quite go to plan when West accidentally says,
"Happy Birthday, Sherman." Ultimately, West wishes him a proper "Happy Birthday" and jokes
that he's available for other events. This line is a nod to West's struggle to find work
after being typecast as Batman. However, the actor eventually found success as a voice
actor on "Family Guy," playing the mayor of Quahog.
In 2017, West died of leukemia complications while surrounded by his loved ones, according
to "The Hollywood Reporter." He was 88.
Emmy-winning actor Jessica Walter may not have had the same sci-fi background as other
actors on the show, but the "Arrested Development" star held her own as wealthy benefactor Mrs.
Latham.
In Season 4's "The Benefactor Factor," Mrs. Latham promises to donate to Leonard's department—for
the price of his company on a few dates. The episode leaves viewers in the dark about the
extent of their relationship, but Leonard does get his funding.
Walter's "Big Bang Theory" appearance was just one of the many credits she collected
over a prolific six-decade career. She won an Emmy in 1975 for her role in "Amy Prentiss,"
received Golden Globe nominations for the films "Play Misty for Me" and "Grand Prix",
and appeared in numerous Broadway productions. In recent years, she was known for "Arrested
Development" and for voicing Mallory on "Archer."
Walter died in her sleep on March 24, 2021, according to "The Hollywood Reporter". She
was 80 years old. Walter's daughter Brooke Bowman shared a statement, saying,
"[My mom's] greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both
on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also
be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”
Comic books play a huge part in the lives of the characters on "The Big Bang Theory,"
so it was only a matter of time before comic book legend Stan Lee had a cameo on the show.
In "The Excelsior Acquisition," Sheldon's plans to meet Lee at a comic book store signing
are cut short when he's summoned to court for a traffic violation. To make it up to
him, his friend Penny takes Sheldon to Lee's house, where Lee—unsurprisingly—doesn't
welcome their uninvited arrival. The Marvel Comics co-creator files a restraining order
against Sheldon, but Sheldon doesn't seem to mind—he's just happy to have finally
gotten his hero's signature.
During his career, Lee had cameos in many films and TV shows, most notably those within
the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lee explained to the "Los Angeles Daily News" that performing
cameos helped him achieve a childhood dream:
"When I was a kid, I thought, 'Oh, it'd be great to be like Errol Flynn. I want to be
an actor.' So I do my cameo. For that brief period, I'm an actor."
In 2018, Lee died of cardiac arrest due to respiratory and heart failure, "The Blast"
confirmed. He was 95.
It's no secret that the "Big Bang Theory" crew loves "Star Trek." When they're not discussing
the franchise's best moments, they're busy ranking their favorite actors. For Sheldon,
the answer is always Leonard Nimoy, who originated the iconic half-Vulcan character Spock. Sheldon
owns not one but two Nimoy signatures—a used, signed napkin gifted to him by Penny,
and a restraining order to match the one from Stan Lee.
So it's surprising that Nimoy himself doesn't make an appearance on "The Big Bang Theory"
until the Season 5 episode "The Transporter Malfunction,” if only in voice. The episode
centers on Sheldon and Leonard's new "Star Trek" transporter toys, which they plan to
keep unopened in their packages. But after Nimoy appears as the toy figure in Sheldon's
dream, Sheldon opens his package—and breaks his transporter immediately. He initially
switches his broken toy out with Leonard's, but ultimately toy Spock helps him do the
right thing.
Sadly, Nimoy didn't get the chance to make another appearance on the show before his
death in 2015. Per "The New York Times," he died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
at the age of 83.
British physicist Stephen Hawking made numerous appearances on "The Big Bang Theory" between
2012 and 2017. In his first episode, Season 5's "The Hawking Excitation," Sheldon is thrilled
to learn that his friend Howard has been asked to work on Hawking's wheelchair equipment.
Howard promises Sheldon an introduction, so long as he completes a series of demeaning
tasks. Sheldon performs flawlessly, and is rewarded at the end with an introduction to
his hero.
Unlike Stan Lee and Leonard Nimoy, Hawking does not take out a restraining order against
Sheldon. Over Hawking's seven guest appearances on the show, he and Sheldon form a close friendship,
with Sheldon even calling Hawking to get his blessing before proposing to his girlfriend
Amy. Given their close bond, it's highly possible that Hawking may have been asked to appear
in the 2018 wedding episode "The Bowtie Excitation."
However, Hawking died in 2018 at age 76, "BBC News" reported. The physicist had been diagnosed
with a rare motor neuron disease at age 22, and was not expected to live more than a few
years. Hawking, of course, defied that prognosis, but was confined to a wheelchair for the rest
of his life and needed to use a voice synthesizer in order to speak.
In 2014, "Star Wars" fans were treated to not one but two guest appearances in the "Big
Bang Theory" episode "The Convention Conundrum." After a bit of stalking and refusing to take
no for an answer, Sheldon finds himself hanging out with James Earl Jones, the actor known
for voicing Darth Vader. The pair partake in some questionable karaoke before pranking
actress Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, with a game of ding-dong ditch. In a
short but entertaining cameo, she runs out of her house with a baseball bat, shouting
about Jones's constant pranks.
"It's not funny anymore, James!"
"Then why am I laughing?"
Fisher died in December 2016. According to "Us Weekly," her death came four days after
she suffered a heart attack while on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Tragically, her
mother, Debbie Reynolds, suffered a stroke and died a day later. They are survived by
Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd.
At the time of her death, Fisher had reprised her role as Princess Leia in the latest "Star
Wars" trilogy, beginning with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and continuing with "Star
Wars: The Last Jedi." After her passing, Leia's death was written into the third movie, "Star
Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," using previously-unseen footage. Director JJ Abrams explained to "Vanity
Fair,"
"We looked at the footage we had not used in The Force Awakens, and we realized we had
a number of shots that we could actually use. It was a bit like having a dozen pieces of
a jigsaw puzzle and then having to make other pieces around it and paint a cohesive image
from these separate pieces."
The film ends with Leia appearing alongside Luke as a Force ghost.
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