A talented young comedian, an unforgettable mobster, and a heavy who always wanted to
play another role besides a tough guy. These are some of the celebrities we lost in 2022.
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost their quarterback on April 9,
2022, when Dwayne Haskins was killed in a tragic car accident. According to ESPN,
the 24-year-old football player was hit by a dump truck along a South Florida
highway close to Fort Lauderdale and died before he could be moved to a hospital.
After an impressive college football career at Ohio State, where he won several trophies,
Haskins was drafted to the Washington Commanders in 2019 and started playing in the NFL. In 2021,
he signed a deal with the Steelers and made Pittsburgh his new home.
The Haskins family and his wife put out a statement that read, in part,
"Anyone who knew Dwayne knows he worked exceptionally hard to achieve such a
high level of success at such a young age. He was touched by so many people
on his journey to being a standout athlete and we are grateful to all of them. This
pain is unimaginable and we appreciate everyone who shares in our heartbreak."
Veteran comedian Gilbert Gottfried died on April 12,
2022, after his long-term myotonic dystrophy led to heart problems,
as his publicist and friend, Glenn Schwartz, told People. The taboo-busting comic,
best known to younger generations as the voice of Iago in "Aladdin," was 67.
"Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute. Jafar, what if you were the chump husband?"
His one-of-a-kind voice and characteristic sense of humor made Gottfried a legend among comedians.
After bursting into Hollywood in the 1980s, he starred in blockbusters like
"Beverly Hills Cop II," the "Problem Child" series, and "Look Who's Talking
II," as well as taking on a range of voice acting roles. His family said of Gottfried,
"In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother,
friend, and father to his two young children."
The actor Liz Sheridan died at age 93. Known for her Broadway performances
and her sitcom roles in "Seinfeld" and "ALF," Sheridan reportedly died from
natural causes while she was sleeping. The sad news was announced on April 15, 2022.
Although her career lasted decades, Sheridan became a household figure through her television
work, playing Jerry Seinfeld's indulgent mother, Helen. Sheridan also later wrote a book in 2001
called "Dizzy & Jimmy" about her affair with James Dean during their youth in New York.
According to Deadline, Sheridan is survived by one daughter and her son-in-law.
"Mad Men" fans were devastated on April 21, 2022,
when it was announced that Robert Morse had died the day prior. The Broadway veteran was 90.
The actor made his mark in the 60s on Broadway, and then went on to appear
in a wide variety of TV shows and movies, though he remained faithful to the stage.
In 2007, Morse became a fan favorite on the AMC drama "Mad Men," which eventually
gave him a spectacular farewell musical number when his character, Bert Cooper,
died after seven seasons. Morse told Entertainment Weekly,
"It's an absolute love letter from creator Matt Weiner. You couldn't ask for a nicer send off."
"The moon on high. They're great for you and me. Because they're free!"
Just days before she was due to be honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame,
Naomi Judd died by apparent suicide at age 76.
Her daughter, Ashley Judd, wrote on her Twitter account on April 30, 2022,
"Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost
our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness."
The legendary singer transformed herself from a struggling single mother to one of
the most recognizable country stars of the 1980s
by forming a duo with her daughter, Wynonna Judd. The Judds, as they called themselves,
reached the top of the charts and won Grammys for hits like "Love Can Build a Bridge."
Naomi had been scheduled to go on tour as part of The Judds in September 2022.
Her last performance was at the CMT Music Awards in mid-April 2022,
where she joined daughter Wynonna on stage one last time.
Perhaps most known for his onscreen performances in "Tremors," "The
Right Stuff," and "True Detective," actor Fred Ward died at age 79. His publicist,
Ron Hoffman, revealed to the New York Post that Ward had been reported dead on May 8,
2022, although he didn't reveal any cause of death.
Ward started appearing in feature films, such as "Southern Comfort" and
"Silkwood," in the 1980s, kicking off a long and successful career in show business.
Kevin Bacon paid tribute to his former "Tremors" co-star
on Twitter after Ward's death was announced, writing in part,
"When it came to battling underground worms I couldn't have asked for a better partner."
"Goodfellas" star Ray Liotta died at age 67. As Deadline reported, the actor was shooting
a new movie in the Dominican Republic when he died in his sleep on May 26.
Liotta first had his breakthrough performance as a dangerous criminal
in Jonathan Demme's "Something Wild," which was released in 1986. The New Jersey native
went on to star in blockbusters like "Field of Dreams" and "Cop Land,"
but his most memorable role was probably mafia boss Harry Hill in "Goodfellas."
"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."
Director Martin Scorsese also praised the veteran actor,
who was working on several films before his death.
"He was so uniquely gifted, so adventurous, so courageous as an
actor. My heart goes out to his loved ones, and it aches for his loss, way too early."
Legendary actor James Caan died at age
82. His family broke the news to his devoted fans on Twitter, writing:
"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6."
Born to Jewish immigrant parents in New York, Cann first became a star in the 1970s after
appearing as mafioso Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather," a role that won him an Academy
Award nomination and cemented his reputation as a Hollywood heavy. Caan later told The Independent,
"I was always cast as Mister Tough Guy or Mister Hero. They wouldn't let me do much else."
The Stephen King adaptation "Misery" cast him in a different light, as he played a helpless,
bedbound author opposite a murderous Kathy Bates. He also won over a younger generation
by starring in Will Ferrell's Christmas comedy "Elf" as Buddy's curmudgeonly dad.
Ivana Trump died at age 73. The businesswoman and media personality was in her Manhattan apartment
on July 14, 2022 when she reportedly fell down the stairs and suffered fatal injuries.
Born in what was formerly named Czechoslovakia, she worked as a model before her high-profile
marriage to Donald Trump in 1977 made her a celebrity in New York. After their equally famous
divorce in 1992, Ivana moved from real estate into releasing her own books and fashion lines.
Her ex-husband paid tribute to Ivana on his platform Truth Social, saying,
"Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was a wonderful,
beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life."
Comedian and writer Jak Knight died on July 14, 2022. Best known for his
work on shows like Netflix's "Big Mouth" and Peacock's "Bust Down,"
the latter of which he co-created, Knight was a rising star in the world of comedy:
After making a name for himself on the stand-up scene, he had begun writing,
producing, and appearing on TV series like "Pause with Sam Jay." As the Los Angeles Times reported,
the cause of his death was determined to be an apparent suicide. Knight was only 28 at the time.
Paul Sorvino died at age 83 on July 25, 2022 of natural causes.
His wife, Dee Dee Sorvino, told the press that her husband had been "the love of my life,
and one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen and stage."
The Brooklyn-raised character actor won over his first audience in the
1964 Broadway musical "Bajour." His acting career stretched across six decades and
included films like "Romeo + Juliet" and "Nixon,"
although he was probably best known for playing mafia boss Paulie Cicero in 1990's "Goodfellas."
As Paul told the Orlando Weekly in 2014, the role led people to make sweeping assumptions about him.
"Most people think I'm either a gangster or a cop or something, but the reality is I'm a sculptor,
a painter, a best-selling author, many, many things — a poet, an opera singer,
but none of them is gangster. It would be nice to have my legacy more than that of just tough guy."
"Leave It to Beaver" star Tony Dow died on July 27, as his official Facebook page announced.
His son Christopher confirmed that he was under hospice care at his home at the time,
surrounded by family. The actor and sculptor was 77 and had previously
shared his cancer diagnosis on social media in May, to the dismay of his many fans.
Best known for his role as big brother Wally Cleaver in the classic sitcom
"Leave It to Beaver," child actor Dow went on to appear in the follow-up "Still the Beaver"
and other TV shows like "Never Too Young." He found purpose in his later
life as a mental health advocate, since the topic was close to his heart. In the 1990s,
he opened up about his own clinical depression and even spoke to Congress about funding for research.
"Star Trek" legend Nichelle Nichols died at age 89. Her son Kyle confirmed the sad news
on Facebook, writing that "a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us
as it has for so many years." He also shared that Nichols had died
from natural causes on July 30 and asked for privacy for their family. He added,
"Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time,
will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration."
As Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols became a crucial part of the "Star Trek" science fiction franchise and
made history on screen with an interracial kiss between her and William Shatner. As
she later recalled, Martin Luther King Jr was one of her many fans and persuaded her not to
quit the show after the first season, arguing that it was good for Black children to see her
as a respected bridge officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise. She worked steadily in TV and
film for the rest of her career, despite being diagnosed with dementia in 2018.
NBA champion Bill Russell died on July 31. The former Boston Celtics player was 88 and
accompanied by his wife Jeannine in his final moments, as his Twitter announced.
Russell wasn't just a committed athlete; he also oversaw the first racially integrated basketball
camp in Mississippi and boycotted games to highlight discrimination.
As ESPN Sports reported, his astonishing career led him from winning championships
at the University of San Francisco to playing at the 1956 Olympics and leading the Celtics to
victory in the NBA finals 11 times. Russell then made history by becoming not just the
first Black head coach in the NBA, but also the first Black head coach to take the reins
of any major American sports league. In later life, he received the Presidential Medal of
Freedom from Barack Obama, who described him as a "giant" after his death was announced.
The Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully died on August 2 at age 94. He had spent 67 seasons
announcing the baseball team, including 25 World Series and 12 All-Star Games.
And since his first game in 1950, Scully had been a beloved presence for the team's fans.
He was honored with a ceremony at Dodger Stadium where manager Dave
Roberts told the crowd of 50,000 that the announcer would be remembered, adding:
"We will think about you every day. Every game we come here,
every fan who shows up to Dodger Stadium, there's a reason you will always be
remembered. You'll always be linked to these five words: It's time for Dodger baseball."
"Above all, try to smile because when you smile that makes everyone else feel better."
Kathryn Hays, the soap star who portrayed Kim for 38 years in
"As the Word Turns," died on March 25, 2022.
Hays first started acting on the small screen in the 1960s, appearing in series like "Route
66," "Bonanza," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," and "The Road West." Trekkies also knew her as Gem,
the alien who saved Captain Kirk in the 1968 "Star Trek" episode "The Empath." But her most enduring
role as Kim on "As the World Turns" helped her gain a devoted following of soap fans.
Don Hastings, who played her husband in the long-running soap, expressed his grief to TV Line.
"Our relationship as Bob and Kim was as close as Kathryn and my relationship,
except we were not married... This is a huge loss to all who knew her."
Former teen idol Bobby Rydell died at age 79. The singer,
whose last name was the inspiration for Rydell High School in the movie "Grease,"
was a teen pop sensation in the late 1950s and early '60s. A spokeswoman told The New
York Times that he died in a hospital on April 5, 2022, following complications from pneumonia.
The Philadelphia native also appeared on the silver screen,
starring in the rock and roll musical "Bye Bye Birdie." He kept touring throughout the decades,
forming the group The Golden Boys alongside his old friends, Frankie Avalon and Fabian.
His fans included horror writer Stephen King, who tweeted that Rydell was "the
most talented of the 50s and early 60s teen idols" after his death was announced.