George Michael tops brutal year for celebrities - here's who we lost
Iconic pop star George Michael has been the latest to fall victim to a dark year for the entertainment industry.
We lost a lot of stars in 2016. At times, the deaths were so frequent it felt like a reaping.
Starting with Lemmy Kilminster in the last days of 2015, to the legendary David Bowie in January, all the way to Bunny Walters and Alan Thicke in the middle of December, we lost people who were household names to many of us; people whose work was the sound track or nostalgia markers of our lives.
Luckily for we fans, they may be gone, but their work will never be forgotten.
READ MORE:
* George Michael dies, age 53
* David Bowie has died at the age of 69
* Iconic Maori singer Bunny Walters dies
* Growing Pains star Alan Thicke has died, age 69
So here's to the stars, the musicians and the crooners we loved, who left us forever in 2016.
George Michael: The singer shot to fame in the 80s as the frontman for Wham! The 80s musical icon went on to have a successful career as a solo artist. He died at home in Oxfordshire, England over the Christmas period, his publicist confirmed. The circumstances of his death were unclear. He was 53.
David Bowie: Ground-breaking English singer, songwriter and actor whose career spanned 50 years and significantly influenced popular music. As an actor, Bowie played physicist Nikola Tesla in 2006's The Prestige and, the same year, also voiced villain Maltazard in the animated film Arthur And The Invisibles and appeared as himself in an episode of the Ricky Gervais television series Extras. Other credits include the film August, alongside Josh Hartnett and Rip Torn, with whom he had worked in 1976 on The Man Who Fell To Earth. Died January 10, from liver cancer, aged 69.
Prince: Incendiary American pop star who tirelessly broke through musical boundaries, gender norms and realms of acceptable fashion. Performed in New Zealand before his death, which was probably the first time in the country, barring an alleged jaunt to Invercargill. He sold over 100 million albums and won seven Grammy awards. Died April 21, from a drug overdose, aged 57.
Alan Rickman: When this British actor died, Harry Potter fans created a memorial to him underneath the Platform 9¾ sign at London's King's Cross railway station. Rickman, who played Severus Snape, was member of Royal Shakespeare Company when he got his big break as the Vicomte de Valmont in the stage production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses in 1985. He went on to films like Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Love Actually and put in a multi-award winning performance as the title character in Rasputin: Dark Servant Of Destiny. Helen Mirren described him as having a voice that could "suggest honey or a hidden stiletto blade". Died January 14, from pancreatic cancer, aged 69.
Leonard Cohen: Prolific, iconic and deeply-respected Canadian novelist, poet, singer and songwriter, whose works included Hallelujah, Suzanne, and So Long Marianne, died at the age of 82 on November 7 in Los Angeles.
Bunny Walters: Katikati-born 1970s crooner, who had a series of top ten hits died at the age of 63 in Hamilton, December 15.
Zsa Zsa Gabor: The beloved Hungarian-American actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. Died December 18, just shy of her 100th birthday.
Rick Parfitt: The Status Quo frontman died in a hospital from a severe infection in Marbella, Spain on December 24. Parfitt played with the band for decades and was known for his slashing style, often played on his signature 1965 white Fender Telecaster.
Wayne Rogers: The actor whose Trapper John McIntyre on M*A*S*H. was among the most beloved characters on one of the most popular TV shows of all time. Rogers actually died on December 31, but we started the new year finding out about his death. Died from complications from pneumonia, aged 82.
Sian Blake: The bodies of the EastEnders actress and her two children were found buried in the garden of her London home three weeks after they were reported missing. Her partner, Arthur Simpson-Kent, pleaded guilty to the murders and was given a life sentence. Died December 15-16 but not discovered until January 5, aged 43.
Pat Harrington Jr: American actor, best known for his role as building superintendent Schneider on the sitcom One Day At A Time. Died January 6, from a brain haemorrhage, aged 86.
Richard Libertini: American actor known for his ability to speak in numerous accents. He had roles in roles in movies ranging from Catch-22 and Fletch to Lethal Weapon 4 and Dolphin Tale. Died January 7, from cancer, aged 82.
Ed Stewart: Known as "Stewpot", Stewart, was an English broadcaster, who presented Top of the Pops and Crackerjack. Died January 9, after a stroke, aged 75.
Angus Scrimm: American actor and author, best known for playing the Tall Man in the 1979 horror film Phantasm and its sequels. Died January 9, aged 90.
Barbara Allyne Bennet: Known for her distinctive voice, this American actress's career spanned more than 50 years. More recent television roles included Brothers & Sisters, Chicago Hope, NYPD Blue, Shameless, The Office and The West Wing. Died January 9, aged 76.
Brian Bedford: English actor whose appeared in films including The Importance Of Being Earnest and A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Died January 13, from cancer, aged 81.
Dan Haggerty: American actor famous for playing the title role in The Life And Times Of Grizzly Adams. Died January 15, from spinal cancer, aged 73.
Glenn Frey: American singer, songwriter and actor who was lead singer of the rock band Eagles. A regular guest on shows like The X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent, he also wrote episodes of dozens of popular shows including Ray Donovan, American Horror Story and My Name Is Earl. Died January 18, from pneumonia, aged 67.
Sheila Sim: The wife of the late Richard Attenborough, the British actress appeared in A Canterbury Tale, acted alongside her husband in The Guinea Pig and starred opposite Anthony Steel in West Of Zanzibar. Died January 19, from natural causes, aged 93.
Abe Vigoda: American actor known for The Godfather and Barney Miller but almost as famous for the number of times he was wrongly-reported as having died. When People magazine first announced his death when he was just 60, Vigoda took the mistake with good humour, posing for a photograph sitting up in a coffin, holding the erroneous issue of People. Further reports led to the setting up of a website with the sole aim of reporting whether Vigoda was alive or dead. Died January 26, from natural causes, aged 94.
Colin Vearncombe: Lead singer and songwriter for the band Black. Noted for the 1987 hits Sweetest Smile and Wonderful Life. Died January 26 after a car accident in Ireland.
Frank Finlay: English stage, actor who was Oscar-nominated for his supporting role in 1965's Othello. His first leading role on television in was in 1971's as Casanova. Died January 30, from heart failure, aged 89.
Maurice White: Founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, the American band spanned the musical genres of R&B, funk, disco, gospel and jazz. Died February 5, aged 74.
Daniel Gerson: American screenwriter and voice actor who co-wrote the screenplays of Monsters, Inc., Monsters University and Big Hero 6. Died February 6, from brain cancer, aged 49.
Johnny Duncan: American actor who played Robin the Boy Wonder to Dick Grayson's Batman in the 1949 serial Batman and Robin. Died February 8, aged 92.
Sophia Hawthorne: The daughter of renowned New Zealand acting couple Elizabeth and Raymond Hawthorne, this stage and screen actress found fame in the movies When Love Comes and Savage Honeymoon, in which she played wild-child Leesa Savage. Hawthorne also won praise for her role in the television show Insiders Guide to Happiness and starred in the TV movie Bliss: The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield. Died February 16, after a long battle with depression, aged 39.
Tony Burton: American actor, comedian, boxer, and football player best known for his role as Tony "Duke" Evers in the Rocky franchise. Died February 25, from pneumonia, aged 79.
Frank Kelly: Irish actor, singer and writer who played Father Jack Hackett in the sitcom Father Ted. In 2010, he joined the cast of Emmerdale, as Dermot, Declan Macey's father, but left the soap after just five months of filming because he missed his family in Ireland. Died February 28, from a heart attack, aged 77.
George Kennedy: Oscar-winning US actor who found fame in the movies Cool Hand Luke and Airport. On television, he played Carter McKay in Dallas and Albert Miller, the biological father of legendary character Victor Newman, in The Young And The Restless. Died February 28, from heart disease, aged 91.
Tony Warren: Best-known as the creator of the long-running British soap Coronation Street, the English television screenwriter's own life was as dramatic as that of many of his characters. Openly gay from his early years on Coronation Street, at a time when homosexuality was illegal, Warren battled with drug and alcohol addiction before attending rehabilitation. Died March 1, aged 79.
George Martin: Sir George Martin was often described as the "fifth Beatle". Born in London, he signed the Beatles to their first label contract in 1962 and was involved with each of the group's original albums. He died on March 9 at the age of 90.
Nancy Reagan: The American First Lady from 1981-1989, was, as Nancy Davis, a Hollywood actress the 1940s and 1950s, starring in films such as The Next Voice You Hear..., Night into Morning, and Donovan's Brain. Died March 6, from heart failure, aged 91.
Keith Emerson: British keyboardist of the 1970's progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Died March 12, from a self-inflicted single gunshot to his head, aged 71.
Sylvia Anderson: The voice of Thunderbirds' aristocratic Lady Penelope, this English television and film producer, writer and voice actress was best known for her collaborations with Gerry Anderson, her husband between 1960 and 1981. Died March 15, after a short illness, aged 88.
Paul Daniels: English magician and television presenter who has been widely described as "The Godfather of Modern Magic" and was repeatedly credited with inspiring many top professional magicians to start in the profession. Died March 17, from a brain tumour, aged 77.
Ken Howard: American actor who won the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his work in Grey Gardens. Died March 23, aged 71.
Garry Shandling: Emmy Award-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, director, writer and producer, best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. As an actor, he appeared in Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Died March 24, from a heart attack, aged 66.
Phife Dawg: Rap pioneer and lyricist of New York hip hop group of A Tribe Called Quest. Born Malik Isaac Taylor, Died March 22, of diabetes, aged 45.
Ross Jennings: New Zealand television producer and director, whose credits included Close To Home, Police Ten 7 and Melody Rules. Died March 25, from cancer, aged 71.
Jon English: English-born Australian singer, songwriter, musician and actor who starred in the Australian TV series Against the Wind and as a one-hit wonder rock star in more than 100 episodes of the sitcom All Together Now (alongside Kiwi Rebecca Gibney). Died March 26, following surgery, aged 66.
Frank Torley: Known as the voice of long-running local farming show Country Calendar, his career in rural broadcasting began at the Feilding saleyards in 1965 after a chance meeting with friend and colleague Colin Follas. A year later, in March 1966, Country Calendar first went to air – and Torley joined the programme in 1968. With more than 1000 episodes broadcast, the programme has become the longest running television show in New Zealand and one of the oldest in the world. Died March 27, from cancer, aged 75.
Patty Duke: American actress who first became known as a teen star, winning an Oscar at16 for her role as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker (1962). She had her own show, The Patty Duke Show, in which she played identical cousins, and went on to win three Emmys and two Golden Globes for her work. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982, she devoted much of her time to advocating for and educating the public on mental health issues. Died March 29, from sepsis, at the age of 69.
Ronnie Corbett: Scottish stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and broadcaster, best known for his long association with Ronnie Barker and their show, The Two Ronnies. He starred in sitcoms such as No – That's Me Over Here!, Now Look Here, and Sorry! At 1.55m tall, references to his height frequently cropped up in his self-deprecating humour and, in 2006, Corbett played an exaggerated version of himself in Extras. He also starred as himself in Little Britain Abroad. When Corbett was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in March 2015, John Cleese said that he had "the best timing" he had ever watched. Died March 31, from motor neurone disease, aged 85.
April
Whai Ngata: New Zealand journalist worked in Māori broadcasting at Television New Zealand for 25 years, a period when the quantity of Māori broadcasting underwent a major expansion. Died April 3, aged 73.
Erik Bauersfeld: American actor who provided the voices of Admiral Ackbar and Bib Fortuna in the Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi. He reprised the Admiral Ackbar role in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Died April 3, aged 93.
Merle Haggard: The Grammy Award-winning singer whose autobiographical prison songs and populist political anthems, notably Mama Tried and Okie From Muskogee, made him one of country music's most formidable and celebrated entertainers. Died April 6 of complications from pneumonia. It was his 79th birthday.
Doris Roberts: With a career spanning more than 60 years, this American actress was a familiar face to several generations. She became a household name playing Raymond Barone's mother, Marie, on Everybody Loves Raymond, appeared in the New Zealand-filmed 2009 movie Aliens In The Attic and played Ms Rinsky, Brick Heck's schoolteacher in the The Middle. Roberts was also an advocate of animal rights and animal-rights activism, supporting groups such as the United Activists for Animal Rights. Died April 17, from a stroke, aged 90.
Victoria Wood: Noted for her skills in observing culture and in satirising social classes, this English actress established herself as a comedy star in the 1980s, winning multiple Bafta awards for her television work. She wrote and co-starred in the television film Pat And Margaret and the sitcom Dinnerladies. Her last acting role was in 2015 in Fungus And The Bogeyman alongside Timothy Spall. Wood attended Quaker meetings with her husband, Geoffrey Durham, and was a vegetarian, once remarking, "I'm all for killing animals and turning them into handbags. I just don't want to have to eat them". Died April 20, from cancer, aged 62.
Barry Howard: British actor who played champion ballroom dancer Barry Stuart-Hargreaves in Hi-De-Hi. Died April 28, from cancer, aged 78.
Reg Grundy: Australian creator of many TV hits, including starting game shows Wheel of Fortune and Blankety Blanks and soap operas Neighbours, Prisoner, Sons And Daughters, and The Young Doctors. Died May 6, aged 92.
Ian Watkin: New Zealand actor whose long acting career saw him playing doctors, priests, axe-wielding stepfathers, and American presidents. Watkin appeared in everything from Sleeping Dogs, Braindead and Beyond Reasonable Doubt and an iconic Crunchie bar commercial, to presenting Miss Universe New Zealand. Died May 18, aged 76.
Bert Kwouk: Chinese-British actor known for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther film, Major Yamauchi in the British drama Tenko and as Entwhistle in Last of the Summer Wine. Died May 24, from cancer, aged 85.
Brian Kairau: Kiwi actor and youth social worker best known for his appearance in the iconic film Once Were Warriors. Died June 6, after a long battle with diabetes, aged 52.
Michu Meszaros: Hungarian actor, circus performer and stuntman who was the man behind the costume in the sitcom ALF. Died June 13, from unknown cause, aged 76.
Anton Yelchin: American actor, known for portraying Pavel Chekov in the reboot of the Star Trek series. Yelchin was found by friends pinned between his Jeep Grand Cherokee and a brick pillar outside his home in Studio City, California, in what was described as a "freak accident". Died June 19, aged 27.
Scotty Moore: Pioneering rock guitarist best known for backing Elvis Presley as a member of his original band. Died June 29, aged 84.
Robin Hardy: English author and film director whose most famous directorial work was The Wicker Man. Died July 1, aged 86.
Caroline Aherne: Bafta-winning English writer and actress, best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host Mrs Merton, various roles in the The Fast Show and in The Royle Family, which she co-wrote. Her private life was well publicised, especially her depression and struggles with both alcohol and drugs. Died July 2, from cancer, aged 52.
Michael Cimino: American director, screenwriter, producer and author who co-wrote, produced and directed Oscar-winning movie The Deer Hunter. Died July 2, aged 77.
Noel Neill: American actress who played Lois Lane in Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs Superman (1950), as well as the 1950s television series Adventures Of Superman. Died July 3, after a long illness, aged 95.
Garry Marshall: American actor, director, producer and writer, who created Happy Days, developed Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple for television, and directed many movies, including Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride and The Princess Diaries. Died July 19, from pneumonia, aged 81.
Vivean Gray: British-born Australian actress who played Ida Jessup in 16 seasons of The Sullivans before being cast as Nell Mangel in Neighbours. Died July 29, aged 92.
Sagan Lewis: American actress best known for St Elsewhere and Homicide: Life on the Street. Died August 7, from cancer, aged 63.
Steven Hill: American actor who played district attorney Adam Schiff on Law & Order for 10 seasons and Dan Briggs, the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on the television series Mission: Impossible. Died August 23, aged 94.
Darrell Ward: American truck driver who became a reality TV star after joining the series Ice Road Truckers in 2012. He was heading to Missoula to begin filming a pilot for a new documentary-style show involving the recovery of plane wrecks when the plane he was piloting crashed. Died August 28, aged 52.
Gene Wilder: American actor, screenwriter, director and author known to generations of children for his role as Willy Wonka in 1971's Willie Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. However, before that, he found fame in Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. His final acting role in 2003 – a guest stint on Will & Grace – won him an Emmy Award. The death of his third wife from cancer, in 1989, prompted him to found the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Centre in Los Angeles and co-found Gilda's Club, a support group to raise awareness of cancer that began in New York City and now has branches throughout the US. Died August 29, from complications of Alzheimer's Disease, aged 83.
Jon Polito: American actor who played more than 220 roles in his 35-year career. He collaborated extensively with the Coen brothers, appearing in five of their films, including Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski. Died September 1, from cancer, aged 65.
Hugh O'Brian: American who starred in the TV western The Life And Legend of Wyatt Earp and had supporting role in John Wayne's last film, The Shootist (1976). Died September 5, aged 91.
Alexis Arquette: Transgender performer born Robert Arquette, brother of actors David, Patricia, Rosanna and Richmond Arquette, whose transition from male to female was documented in the film Alexis Arquette: She's My Brother. She appeared in movies including The Wedding Singer and Pulp Fiction and made numerous appearances on television. Died September 11, after a long illness, aged 47.
Kim McGuire: American actress and author best known for her role of Mona "Hatchet-Face" Malnorowski in the comedy musical Cry-Baby. Died September 14, from pneumonia, aged 60.
Charmian Carr: American actress and singer who played Liesl Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Died September 17, from dementia, aged 73.
Curtis Hanson: American director, producer, and screenwriter whose work included The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, the L.A. Confidential and In Her Shoes. Died September 20, from dementia, aged 71.
Bill Nunn: American actor known for his roles as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing and Robbie Robertson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy. Died September 24, from leukaemia, aged 62.
Agnes Nixon: Known as the Queen of modern American soap opera, Nixon created the long-running series One Life to Live, All My Children, and Loving. Died September 28, from pneumonia, aged 93.
Zara Nutley: New Zealand-born British actress best known for Mind Your Language, and Never The Twain. Died October 9, after a long illness, aged 90.
Patricia Barry: American actress who appeared in Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Laramie and Route 66 before going on to soaps First Love, Days of Our Lives and All My Children. Died October 11, from natural causes, aged 93.
Jean Alexander: The woman behind the iconic Coronation Street character Hilda Ogden, this British actress put in 23 years as the curler-wearing charwoman before departing the soap in 1987. When she decided to leave the show, fans started "Save Hilda!" campaigns; however, many did not realise that she had made her own decision to depart. Her final scenes in the programme were aired on Christmas Day, attracting nearly 27 million viewers, the highest number in the show's history. In 2005 the UK TV Times poll voted her as the "Greatest Soap Opera Star of All Time". Alexander went on to play Auntie Wainwright in the long-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine from 1988 to 2010. Died October 14, aged 90.
Pete Burns: The eighties pop singer was best known for his hit You Spin Me Round with his band Dead or Alive. Burns was also known for his extensive plastic surgery and returned to the spotlight in 2006 to appear on Britain's Celebrity Big Brother. Died October 25, aged 57.
Jimmy Perry: British screenwriter who created Dad's Army and, in partnership with writer David Croft, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang M'Lord?. Died October 23, after a short illness, aged 93.
Don Marshall: American actor best known for Land Of The Giants and Julia. Died October 30, aged 80.
Robert Vaughn: It was the role Napoleon Solo, in the 60s television drama The Man From UNCLE, that turned this American actor into a household name. The show, which co-starred David McCallum as fellow secret agent Illya Kuryakin, brought the pair 70,000 letters from fans a month and turned them into teen pin-ups even The Beatles asked to meet. Vaughn went on to star in the 70s series The Protectors and three decades later, Hustle, the UK series about a team of con men. He even did a stint on Coronation Street. Died November 11, from leukaemia, aged 83.
Florence Henderson: Her five years as Brady Bunch matriarch Carol Brady, made this American actress one of America's favourite mothers. "I played Carol as the mother I always wished I had," she once said, "as the mother a lot of people wished they had." As well as reviving Carol for a number of movie and television spinoffs, Florence appeared in numerous popular shows, competed on Dancing With The Stars in 2010 and hosted her own cooking show. She was still working this year and will be seen in the forthcoming movie Grandmother's Murder Club. Died November 24, from heart failure, aged 82.
Ron Glass: American actor best known for his role as Detective Ron Harris in the cop comedy Barney Miller. More recently he voiced Randy Carmichael in the cartoon series Rugrats and appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Died November 25, of respiratory failure, aged 71.
Ray Columbus: The New Zealand pop star became the first Kiwi to record an international hit, when She's A Mod topped the Australian charts. He also gave the world a signature dance move, The Mod's Nod, and mentored many successful local entertainers. A consummate showman, Columbus launched his television career in 1962, at just 20, with Club Columbus. It was followed by Ray Columbus Presents, New Faces, C'mon, Happen Inn and Sing. Died November 29, after a long illness, aged 74.
Andrew Sachs: The German-born British actor found fame playing Spanish waiter Manuel in the 70s British sitcom Fawlty Towers. In 2009, he joined Coronation Street as Ramsay Clegg. Died November 23, from dementia, aged 86.
Peter Vaughan: British actor best known for his roles as Maester Aemon Targaryen in Game Of Thrones and Harry Grout in Porridge. Died December 6, aged 93.
This list is not exhaustive, who have we missed? Let us know in the comments.
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