When certain celebrities pass away, their deaths are met with
massive tributes and worldwide headlines. But other times, they can pass under the radar,
leaving some fans to not even realize the stars they've loved for so long are no longer around.
Actress Natasha Richardson was known for such movies as The Parent Trap and Nell. She was also
famous for her family connections, as she was the daughter of Tony Richardson and Vanessa Redgrave,
the sister of Joely Richardson, and the wife of fellow actor Liam Neeson.
In 2009, Richardson was vacationing at a resort in Canada when she fell while taking a skiing lesson.
She initially claimed to feel fine, even joking about her fall. A member of the ski
patrol suggested that she see a doctor, but she ultimately returned to her hotel room.
Shortly thereafter, she was rushed to a nearby hospital. She was then airlifted to a hospital
in New York City, where she passed away two days later at the age of 45 from an epidural hematoma.
Neeson later paid tribute to his wife in a Facebook post in which he said,
"Spend time with your spouses. Treat them well. Because,
one day, when you look up from your phone, they won't be there anymore."
"I just told her I loved her."
British character actor Richard Griffiths was known for a variety of roles on both
the big and small screens. His most famous performance was without a doubt Vernon Dursley,
the ill-tempered uncle of Harry Potter. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 65
from complications following heart surgery. His Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe,
who also appeared alongside Griffiths in a 2008 Broadway production of Equus, said in a statement,
"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career.
Before official production had even begun on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys',
which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease."
When the two reunited for Equus seven years later,
it marked Radcliffe's first time acting onstage, and Griffiths' presence once again calmed him.
Fans of That '70s Show surely remember Lisa Robin Kelly, who portrayed Laurie Forman, the sarcastic
older sister of Topher Grace's Eric. But those same fans were no doubt also confused
when Laurie was written out of the show in 2001. Although Kelly later returned for a few episodes,
the role was eventually recast with a different actress, Christina Moore.
Kelly returned to the spotlight in 2010, although not for a particularly happy reason,
as she was arrested for a DUI. In a 2012 interview with ABC News,
she explained that she parted ways with That '70s Show after developing a drinking problem,
which stemmed from her becoming despondent in the wake of a miscarriage. The following year,
she entered a drug rehab center. It was there that she died in her sleep. She was only 43. Her death
was determined to be accidental, the result of an overdose brought on by multiple drug intoxication.
Fans of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air loved to watch Will Smith hilariously face off with his
wealthy uncle, Philip Banks, played to imperious perfection by James Avery. While the 90s sitcom
remains Avery's most iconic role, he amassed a lengthy roster of screen credits that spanned
four decades. That included TV guest spots in shows ranging from Star Trek: Enterprise to
Grey's Anatomy, as well as an impressive body of work as a voice actor in animated projects.
On December 31, 2014, Avery died due to complications from open-heart surgery. His Fresh
Prince co-star Joseph Marcell, who played Banks family butler Geoffrey, described Avery to CNN as:
"a marvelous man and a truly wonderful actor.
He strove to present an Uncle Phil that everybody wishes was their uncle."
Will Smith also paid tribute, writing on Facebook,
"Some of my greatest lessons in acting,
living and being a respectable human being came through James Avery."
Back in 2007, Avery explained how he approached
his vocation during a lecture for the New York Film Academy. As he put it,
"You could either be a movie star or an actor. I'm an actor. But I've done pretty good."
Back in the 70s, Marcia Wallace got big laughs as wisecracking crimson-haired receptionist
Carol Kester on the beloved sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. She would go on to have many
more onscreen credits, but her most famous one didn't actually feature her on the screen, as she
lent her distinctive voice to The Simpsons' Edna Krabappel, Bart's cynical fourth grade teacher.
On October 25, 2013, Wallace passed away at age 70. She'd been suffering from poor health in the
months leading up to her death, which came about due to complications related to pneumonia. She'd
previously undergone surgery for breast cancer, but according to her son Michael Hawley, she'd
been declared cancer-free. Her death certificate, which was obtained by TMZ, indicated the primary
cause of death as pneumonia, sepsis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with cancer listed
as a "significant condition." In a statement, Simpsons executive producer Al Jean said,
"I was tremendously saddened to learn [...] of
the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace.
She was beloved by all at The Simpsons and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character."
True to Jean's word, Mrs. Krabappel was written out
of the show and given a touching onscreen tribute.
"Sure do miss that laugh."
"Ha ha! I miss her, too."
Michael Clarke Duncan was an imposing cinematic figure. His muscled physique
was clearly on display in his breakout role that has since remained his best-known:
death row inmate John Coffey, whose supernatural abilities are at the center of The Green Mile.
Some of his other film roles included Planet of the Apes, The Scorpion King, and Daredevil,
while his TV work included a series regular gig on the one-season Fox procedural The Finder.
Duncan was just 54 years old when he died on September 3, 2012 from complications stemming
from a heart attack he'd suffered less than two months earlier. At the time of his passing,
he was engaged to Omarosa Manigault Newman, who opened up about the night of his heart attack in
an interview on OWN's Where Are They Now? She recalled hearing him laboring and struggling
to breathe, and then things got quiet. When she realized Duncan had stopped breathing,
she performed CPR and was able to get his heart beating and rush him to a hospital.
"We got him to the best hospital, and he fought."
Newman prayed for her fiance like she never prayed before, but alas, it was his time to go.
While Taylor Negron's name might not be instantly recognizable to every filmgoer,
his face is no doubt familiar. He boasted an extensive array of credits on both the small
and big screens, including TV shows ranging from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Friends,
and films such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In that movie, he had a small but memorable part
as a pizza delivery guy who delivers a pie to Sean Penn's Jeff Spicoli in the middle
of class. On January 10, 2015, he passed away at the age of 57 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
The year before his death, he gave an interview to Los Angeles' KCET
in which he discussed his status as a "that guy" character actor. As he recalled,
"I became the alternative everyman in movies."
One of Negron's flashier roles was the villainous Milo opposite
Bruce Willis in the 1991 action-comedy The Last Boy Scout. As he told KCET,
"It wasn't a stretch, but it came as a surprise to me, because Bruce Willis, Tony Scott and Joel
Silver had this idea in their head. So when they offered me the part, I thought it was a joke and
they had made a mistake in the printing -- that I was going to play the first goombah to the left."
John Spencer had been acting professionally since the 60s and amassed a lengthy list of film and TV
credits when he was cast as White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry on The West Wing. His
performance on the show won him critical acclaim, along with five Emmy nominations and one win.
Sadly, the most celebrated role of Spencer's career would also be his last.
In The West Wing's sixth season, a plot twist featured Leo suffering a near-fatal heart attack.
In a bizarre case of life imitating art,
the following year Spencer himself suffered a heart attack at age 58. Unlike Leo, though,
Spencer didn't survive. He was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, where he was declared dead.
In a 2014 West Wing retrospective in USA Today, Dulé Hill, who played presidential
aide Charlie Young, admitted that the loss of Spencer took a toll on the show. As he put it,
"West Wing without John Spencer isn't The West Wing, to me anyway."
"Receive him into the arms of thy mercy,
into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in life."
Frasier was one of the biggest sitcoms of the 90s, as it ran for 11 beloved seasons before
finally saying goodbye in 2004. Throughout it all, John Mahoney played Martin Crane, cranky father to
sibling psychiatrists Frasier and Niles. On the silver screen, Mahoney was renowned for standout
performances in such films as Say Anything and Primal Fear. He also delivered a particularly
memorable appearance in Moonstruck as a would-be suitor who tries to charm Olympia Dukakis' Rose.
Mahoney passed away on February 4, 2018 at the age of 77
from complications related to throat cancer. In an October 2017 interview with Fox News,
he expressed optimism that he'd beaten cancer a second time. He'd first been diagnosed 20
years earlier, just as his Hollywood career was heating up. As he recalled,
"I had made some of my biggest movies when I was diagnosed. I wasn’t going to
let this cancer get me. I waited too long to do this. When I was told I had cancer,
I said 'I don’t care. Let’s do whatever we need to do to beat it. It’s not going to get me.'"
Gregory Hines was an actor, singer, choreographer, and tap dancer who starred in such films as The
Cotton Club and Running Scared. He also headlined his own eponymous sitcom and had a recurring role
on Will & Grace as Will's ruthless boss, Ben. He passed away from liver cancer on August 9,
2003 at the age of 57. He'd been diagnosed two years earlier, but he kept his diagnosis
a secret from those he worked with. According to a source who spoke to the National Enquirer,
"He was hoping he could beat it — and he didn’t want anyone fussing over him.
No one except his family knew how sick he was. He kept a brave face, and was determined to beat it."
The insider also revealed that the Will & Grace
cast was devastated by news of Hines' death. Sean Hayes told the Enquirer,
"When news like this hits you so suddenly, you’re in a state of shock.
I couldn’t believe it. I immediately thought of his family and what they
must be going through. My heart and prayers are with them."
Chris Penn was the younger brother to Oscar winner Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. He was also
a successful actor in his own right, known for memorable roles in such movies as Rumble Fish,
Footloose, and Reservoir Dogs. He was just 40 years old at the time of his
death in January 2006 when his body was discovered in a California condo.
An LAPD lieutenant indicated that there didn't appear to be any obvious signs of foul play.
The truth emerged the following month when Access Hollywood revealed details from the coroner's
investigation. The official cause of death was an enlarged heart. Penn's weight at the time of
his death had swelled to more than 300 pounds. Drugs were also cited as a contributing factor.
The various substances present in his body at the time included Valium, morphine, marijuana,
an antihistamine, and codeine. Actress Lori Singer, who worked with Penn on Footloose,
told the New York Post that she was, quote, "devastated" by the loss, while also noting,
"He had the understated brilliance of a true artist. He was real in
person and in his acting. He was the real thing."