sadly 20/20 has already proven to be a
year in which we've lost some big names
even in just a few short months from
founding fathers of comedy and veteran
character actors to up-and-coming stars
that never got a chance to shine here
are the actors we've lost in 20/20 so
far Hollywood legend Kurt Douglas the
patriarch of the Douglas dynasty died in
February 2020 at the age of 103 his son
actor Michael Douglas confirmed his
death via Instagram he wrote he leaves a
legacy and film that will endure for
generations to come
porn in New York is this er Daniella
vich Douglas made his Broadway debut in
1941 his career was interrupted by the
outbreak of World War two but Douglas
returned to the stage after being
honorably discharged from the Navy in
1944 and before long Hollywood beckoned
1949 s champion made him a star and gave
him his first of three Oscar nominations
but his most famous picture is Stanley
Kubrick's Spartacus Douglass famously
spoke out in favor of blacklisted
screenwriter Dalton Trumbo insisting he
was properly credited for his work on
Spartacus Douglass later wrote in his
autobiography I think one of the most
important things in my career was the
breaking of the blacklist
in the same book Douglass also discussed
his regrets after starring in a stage
adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's
Nest he tried for years to get a film
version made by the time it happened
Douglas was too old to reprise the role
of McMurphy which went to Jack Nicholson
Douglas wrote I made more money from
that film than any I acted in and I
would gladly give back every cent if I
could have played that role Terry Jones
best known first worked with the
groundbreaking British comedy troupe
Monty Python passed away in January 2020
after battling a rare form of dementia
in a statement his family said we have
all lost a kind funny warm creative and
truly loving man whose uncompromising
individuality relentless intellect and
extraordinary humor have given pleasure
to countless millions across six decades
Jones was 77 years old early in his
career he had been instrumental in
developing the unique
stream-of-consciousness style that made
Monty Python's Flying Circus the
game-changing TV show it was and he
would later go on to spearhead three of
the group's original feature films
1975's miney Python and the Holy Grail
which he co-directed with Terry Gilliam
is regularly ranked among the funny
films ever made Jones then went on to
helm 1979's Monty Python's Life of Brian
in which he played the titular
characters cantankerous mother and
delivered the film's most iconic line
finally Jones directed 1983's Monty
Python's the meaning of life the last
movie to feature all six pythons the
remaining members of the influential
troupe paid tribute to Jones following
his passing fellow Python Michael Palin
said he was far more than one of the
funniest writer performers of his
generation he was the complete
Renaissance comedian writer director
presenter historian brilliant children's
author and the warmest most wonderful
company you could wish to have Ugandan
actress Nikita waali gwar who starred in
the 2016 Disney film queen of cot Way
died from a brain tumor in February 2020
she was first diagnosed with a tumor in
2016 but thanks to a fundraising effort
was flown to India for treatment and
soon got the all-clear a second tumour
developed however and this time she
couldn't be saved she was just 15 years
old queen of khat way is a biographical
drama about real-life chess player Fiona
Moo Tessie a poor Ugandan girl who went
from the slums of cot way to the World
Chess Olympiad while ago I played Moo
tessie's real-life friend and fellow
Chester Gloria and sabaha who was
shocked when she heard the news she told
the BBC I couldn't bear to hear that
someone who acted as me in a film had
died I loved her from my heart
actor David o yellow and Oscar winner
Lupita Nyong'o who also starred in the
movie both took to Instagram to pay
tribute to the team Nyong'o wrote she
played Gloria was such vibrancy in a
real life she had the enormous challenge
of battling brain cancer my thoughts and
prayers are with her family and
community as they come to terms with
having to say goodbye so soon Oh yellow
echoed those sentiments calling while it
was battle humbling to witness in his
own post he said she was a ball of light
her light will live on both a brilliant
character actor and star of numerous
oscar-winning movies actor Jack Kehoe
passed away in January 2020 the Queens
born actor lived in the Hollywood Hills
but had been out of the spotlight since
suffering a stroke in 2015 he was 85 Keo
joined the army straight out of high
school and served three years with a
hundred and first Airborne
he trained in the performance arts under
Stella Adler after leaving the military
and soon hit the stage putting in an
acclaimed performance in the Eugene
O'Neill play a moon for the misbegotten
this opened the door to Hollywood where
Kehoe would establish himself as a
capable foil for some of the biggest
stars at the time and where he would
star alongside some of the world's most
iconic actors - Sally Kirkland who
co-starred with Kehoe and the sting paid
tribute to her late colleague on Twitter
she wrote he was a wonderful character
actor who was unforgettable in Serpico
and The Untouchables God bless his
beautiful soul journey home to the heart
of God star of a number of different TV
shows and low-budget movies Australian
actor Harry Haynes passed away in
January 2020 at the age of 27 his mother
confirmed his death and an Instagram
post writing he had the world at his
feet but sadly he struggled with mental
illness and addiction a brilliant spark
shone bright too short a time I will
miss you Harry every day of my life
the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner
coroner's office announced in early
March 2020 that Haynes died of fentanyl
intoxication Haynes was gender-fluid and
spoke openly about his desire to become
the first gender-fluid icon when he sat
down with close-up culture to talk about
his musical project anti-boy he said
he'd always disliked the idea of labels
Haynes explained it's like feeling like
something is wrong with you because
Society has told you that you need to
behave and act a certain way and you see
a professional and they diagnosed you
with a mental disorder he continued I
would rather look at the environment and
see what is causing these feelings of
negativity and discomfort to solve the
issue rather than put a band-aid over it
New York actors stand Kersh best known
for playing Richie Ryan in the
Highlander television series and for
memorable appearance on the iconic
sitcom friends tragically took his own
life in January 2020 he was 51 after
sharing the news on Facebook Kirsch's
wife Kristen Greene wrote I want to
thank everyone for the outpouring of
love and support Hirsch began his TV
career with bit parts on a variety of
shows throughout the early 90s he made
his debut as streetwise Punk turned
immortal Richard H Ryan in 1992 and
would go on to appear in over a hundred
episodes of Highlander over the next six
years an official statement on the
show's Facebook page read without stand
Kirsch Highlander the series would have
been far less he brought a sense of
kindness and youthful enthusiasm to the
character of Richie Bryant in the middle
of his run on Highlander Kirsch landed a
spot on friends playing the way too
young still in high school boyfriend of
Monica Hirsch was also a well-known
acting coach best known for playing
josephine on the CBS sitcom King of
Queens character actor and normal
Michaels died in January 2020 her
obituary confirmed that she passed away
peacefully at her Palm Springs home she
was 95 Michaels worked on seven episodes
of King of Queens just one of the many
comedies she popped up in over the
course of a career that began back in
the mid 50s in later years she appeared
on pretty much every major sitcom or
comedy from the 90s and 2000's with her
final TV role being an appearance in the
hit cop comedy Brooklyn nine-nine oh my
gosh sorry let's go to fight for but
Michaels wasn't a one-trick pony and
back she had some serious acting chops
to paying tribute to Michaels screen
writer Christopher Kubasaki recalled
being blown away by her skill when he
worked with her on the fantasy drama
series the booth at the end
gube Asik tweeted it was so committed
and sensitive of performance I could
feel an unexpected energy spread across
the crew as everyone got the show in
that moment I was so grateful to Norma
William Boger to his best known for his
role as Brandon brindle and the 80s
sci-fi sitcom small wonder died in
January 2020 the actor passed away in
his home state of New York at the age of
83 Bogert made his debut starring in a
1964 political ad called confessions of
a Republican in which he delivers a
monologue about the dangers of trusting
Republican presidential nominee Barry
Goldwater the ad went viral in 2016 when
people started to notice eerie
similarities between Goldwater and
Republican then candidate Donald Trump
Burgert was a staunch Republican when he
filmed the ad but his loyalties changed
over the years and he reprised the
character in a campaign video for
Hillary Clinton Bogert started landing
regular TV roles after the ad aired and
went on to appear in 28 episodes of
small wonder which followed a family of
robotics engineers Bogert was also seen
on the big screen most notably in 1983's
wargames plane Matthew Broderick's
father in the Cold War sci-fi classic
boggarts wife Erin Oscar was a puppeteer
best known for her
work on the Muppet Show she passed away
in 1993 TV and theater actress Marcia
Kramer passed away in January 2020 her
death was confirmed by director Jeff
Greenberg who had worked with her on the
ABC sitcom Modern Family between it so
sad to hear that my longtime friend
Marcia Kramer passed away yesterday at
the age of 74
she was so delightful in 14 episodes she
shot as Margaret's on Modern Family over
the last seven years but I'll always
remember her soaring aloft is Wendy
Greenberg was referring to the 1979
Broadway revival of Peter Pan in which
Kramer played Wendy Darling opposite
sandy Duncan in the title role she also
appeared in a number of other stage and
small screen roles over the years
popping up in everything from dr. ken to
Days of Our Lives
Modern Family was her most notable
screen role but Kramer also had a number
of credits on a range of sitcoms
including malcolm in the middle' and
Frasier on which she played the off
mentioned rarely seen radio host Tootie
Brooklyn native John Carlin best known
for his roles in dark shadows and Cagney
and Lacey passed away in January 2020
the dark shadows news Twitter page
confirmed that he died at a hospice in
California having suffered a number of
health setbacks over the past decade a
family spokesman later confirmed the
cause of death as congestive heart
failure he was 86 Carlin a Korean War
vet made his acting debut in 1960
replacing the late Rip Torn in a
Broadway production of the Tennessee
Williams classic sweet bird of youth six
years later he won the part of Willy
Lomas the con artist who unwittingly
priests vampire Barnabas Collins and
Dark Shadows Carlin remained a fan
favorite when the show ended attending
events and conventions after waiting a
Primetime Emmy for his work on Cagney
and Lacey in 1987 he told the Chicago
Tribune I'm 40 pounds heavier and I have
a mustache but people still recognize me
Carlin appeared on a hundred and twenty
four episodes of Cagney and Lacey
playing the latter's dependable husband
Harvey
it wasn't the medias of roles but it was
one that Karlin relished all the same he
later said the secret of Harvey Lacey is
that he's liked Harvey being shuffled
into the background doesn't bother me he
reprised the role for 1996 as Cagney and
Lacey true convictions which was his
last feature-length performance
raspy-voiced actor Kevin Conway famed
for his explosive performances on the
stage and screen passed away in February
2020 as longtime partner Geraldine
Newman told the New York Times that the
Harlem native died of a heart attack he
was 77
Conway joined the Navy after graduating
from Brooklyn's Bishop blokland High
School in 1959 when he left the military
he secured a mailroom job at IBM and was
actively working his way up the company
ladder when he decided he wanted a
change of direction he enrolled in
acting classes and began landing stage
roles first and off-broadway productions
and later on Broadway proper Conway
played doctor Trevis and Bernard
Pomerance is the Elephant Man a role he
reprised for a televised performance at
a play Hollywood saw Conway is a tough
guy when he first went West The New
Yorker threw his weight about in the
late 70s Sylvester Stallone flicks fists
and paradise alley but as he got older
the offers became more varied
he turned down the chance to play King
Fayed and in the Lord of the Rings a
decision he came to regret and sadly he
would never get an opportunity quite
like that again still Conway worked
steadily as a voice actor and narrator
in the last few years of his life
Missouri born actress Lynn Cohen may
have appeared in dozens of big films and
TV shows over the course of her career
but she was perhaps best known for her
role as the hilariously prank
housekeeper Magda in Sex in the City
Cohen passed away in February 2020 at
the age of 86 described by deadline as a
staple in the New York theatre community
Cohen earned several awards for her work
on the stage her film debut came in 1983
when she played a minor parts in the
mystery drama without a trace but her
career on screen wouldn't start to pick
up steam until the late 90s she appeared
in 10 feature films between 1996 and
2000 when she made her debut on Sex in
the City
Cohen had done TV before but portraying
Cynthia Nixon's Ukrainian made a nanny
on the smash hit HBO show exposed her to
whole new levels of Fame yes she
reprised the role of Magda in the 2008
Sex in the City movie as well as its
2010 sequel several former Sex in the
City cast members took to social media
after hearing about Cohen's passing the
leading lady included Sarah Jessica
Parker wrote on an Instagram post
beautiful Lynn Cohen
dear and necessary Magda our dear SATC
colleague talent race inspiration
r.i.p meanwhile actor Willie Garson
tweeted bless you and Godspeed our
wonderful Magda for 15 years of episodes
and films thank you for your friendship
and amazing talent Hawaii born actress
Kelly nakahara died of cancer in
February 20 21 at her home in California
she was 72 years old nakahara was best
known for her role as nurse Kelly on the
classic Army Hospital drama team Ashe
her sister Nalani Coleman told CNN she
was a performer and an artist and she
did her artwork to make people happy
which in turn gave her joy people wanted
to be near her she was genuine in her
persona nakahara was only supposed to be
an extra on mash but she had different
plans
she once explained I put myself in every
scene and nobody told me to get out and
that tactic worked perfectly
gende enough featuring in 167 episodes
of the korean war set show even playing
the lead on occasion Alan Alda who
portrayed surgeon Hawkeye Pierce told
Fox News she was adorable and brilliant
in the part but you couldn't beat what
she was as a person funnier and warmer
and kinder than most people I've known
actress and musician Sinead Dubois best
known for playing fashionable divorcee
Willona woods on the 70s sitcom good
times passed away in her California home
in February 2020 to her family she was
74 at the time although the New York
Times reported that public records
indicated she may actually have been
older Dubois was born in Philadelphia
but moved to New York to pursue a career
in acting she appeared in several
Broadway productions and ran her own
acting workshop for kids at one stage
but by the 1960s Hollywood was calling
the ambitious performer was cast in good
times in 1974 but trained Willona woods
until 1979 and appearing in a total of a
hundred and thirty three episodes of the
Norman Lear sitcom during her stint on
good times Dubois told Lear that she
wanted to explore new avenues and he
suggested that she create a song for the
Jeffersons one of the prolific producers
many shows the results was movin on up
which according to the New York Times
became one of the era's most iconic
theme songs as well as an empowering
aspirational song for black Americans
Dubois daughter Keisha Gupta Fields
later said it provided a lot of black
people with an anthem the Philly native
went
to appear in a handful of feature films
in the years that followed but she was
always more celebrated for her TV work
dubois also won two Primetime Emmys for
her work on eddie murphy and larry
wilmore's animated series the PJs in
which she voiced the quarrelsome housing
project resident mrs. Avery swedish-born
actor Max von Sydow best known to
American audiences for playing father
Merrin and The Exorcist and Ming the
Merciless in Flash Gordon passed away in
March 2020
he was 90 years old the imposing
european landed on Hollywood's radar
after appearing in a string of movies by
acclaimed Swedish filmmaker Ingmar
Bergman von Sydow initially spurned US
advances but when the chance to play
Jesus Christ and the greatest story ever
told came his way in 1965 he decided to
take his talent stateside The Exorcist
and Flash Gordon further established him
in America though he would go on to be
typecast as a swab evildoer in the years
that followed most notably in 1983 s
never say never again
replay classic Bond villain blow field
in the Sean Connery flick Lance Ito
stayed active late into his career
appearing in a number of big Hollywood
franchises he portrayed Explorer lor San
Tekka in 2015 Star Wars Episode 7 the
force awakens and later appeared in
three episodes of Game of Thrones
playing the all-knowing three-eyed Raven
director Edgar Wright led the tributes
on Twitter calling von Sydow a quote
iconic presence in cinema for seven
decades he is survived by his wife
Katherine and four sons sadly these
aren't the only actors who have left us
in 2020 here are some of the other stars
who enhanced our lives before leaving us
all too soon John shrapnel Esther Scott
Jason Davis Rafael Coleman if you or
anyone you know is having suicidal
thoughts please call the National
Suicide Prevention lifeline at 1-800 to
73 talk eight two five five
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