In memoriam: Entertainment figures we lost in 2017 - Action News
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Entertainment

In memoriam: Entertainment figures we lost in 2017

Jerry Lewis, Chester Bennington, Gord Downie and Kim Jong-hyun are among the entertainers who died this year.

From Gord Downie to Robert Guillaume, some of the artists, musicians actors and other notables who died

Some of the deaths which rocked the entertainment world in 2017 (left to right): Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, K-pop sensation Kim Jong-hyun, actress Della Reese, rocker Tom Petty, and the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie. (Associated Press/Getty/Reuters)

Comedian Jerry Lewis, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, The Tragically Hip's Gord Downie and K-pop sensation Kim Jong-hyun are among the entertainers who died in 2017.

Here's a look at some of the notable musicians, actors, artists and entertainers we lost over the past year.

Om Puri

Om Puri, a Bollywood legend who also starred in English-language films such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist and The Hundred-Foot Journey, died after a heart attack at age 66 Jan. 6. (Vito Amati/Getty Images for Icon)

A legend inHindi cinema, whether playing a stern father or comic foil, Om Puristarred in dozens of well-known Bollywood hits such as Singh is Kinng, Hera Pheri and JaaneBhi Do Yaaro.He also successfully crossed over into English-language films such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist with Riz Ahmed, The Hundred-Foot Journey alongside Helen Mirren and Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Puri died on Jan. 6 after suffering a heart attack, at the age of 66.

John Hurt

British actor John Hurt, known for his role in The Elephant Man, died Jan. 25. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

The Oscar-nominated British actor starred in more than 200 films and TV series during his career.John Hurt was best known for his role inThe Elephant Man and his supporting role in Midnight Express.Hedied on Jan. 25 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77.

Mary Tyler Moore

Mary Tyler Moore died at age 80 on Jan. 25. (Phil McCarten/Reuters)

The Mary Tyler Moore Showmade her a household name across North America and a cultural game-changer as a successfulwoman in the working world. The comedian and actress died at age 80 on Jan. 25.

Bill Paxton

Actor Bill Paxton died Feb. 25 due to surgery complications at age 61. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Critics' Choice Television Awards)

Known for his roles in Twister, Apollo 13, Titanic,Tombstone and The Terminator, Bill Paxtonwas a familiar face on filmscreens.He died on Feb. 25 in Los Angeles, following complications from surgery. Paxton was 61.

Neil Fingleton

Game of Thrones actor Neil Fingleton died at the age of 36 on Feb. 25. (Geoff Caddick/Associated Press)

Recognizedby the Guinness World Records in 2007 as the U.K.'s tallest man, Neil Fingleton played giant Mag the Mighty on Game of Thrones. He died of heart failureon Feb. 25at the age of 36.

Chuck Berry

Johnny B. Goode singer Chuck Berry died Mar. 18. (Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images)

Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene and Roll Over Beethoven are just some of the tunes that made Chuck Berry a household name in the 1950s. His sound laid the groundwork for the future of rock 'n'roll music while his lyrics about teenage life and consumerism spoke togenerations of fans and musicians. Berry died on Mar. 18 atage 90in his home state ofMissouri.

Erin Moran

Actress Erin Moran of Happy Days fame died at age 56 on Apr. 22. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Happy Days and JoanieLoves Chachistar Erin Moran died on Apr. 22 at age 56, likely from complications due to cancer. While she was best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham, she also made appearances on Diagnosis: Murder, Murder, She Wroteand The Love Boat.

Chris Cornell

Musician Chris Cornell, seen at the Toronto Film Festival in 2011, was 52 years old when he died. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)

Chris Cornell, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Soundgarden, and as one of the originatorsofSeattle grunge music, was found dead in a Detroit, Mich., hotel room on May 18. His death was ruled a suicide but his widow insists prescription drugs played a key role in his mindset.

Roger Moore

British actor Roger Moore, known for playing James Bond, died at age 89 May 23. (Eric Gaillard/Reuters)

The British actor starred in seven James Bond films, including Live and Let Die, Octopussy and A View to a Kill. He died on May 23 at the age of 89 in Switzerland, after battling cancer.

Greg Allman

Southern rocker Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band died on May 27. (Evan Agostini/The Associated Press)

The Southern rock pioneerknown for performing with the AllmanBrothers Band died on May 27 at age 69 from liver cancer complications. He wrote many of the group's most popular songs, including Whipping Post and Midnight Rider.

Adam West

Batman star Adam West died at age 88 June 9.

Adam West became a pop culture icon with his deadpan portrayal of Batmanin thecampy 1960s TV seriesand a 1966 feature film.He died June 9at the age of 88 after battlingleukemia.

Prodigy

Mobb Deep's Prodigy died at age 42 after being hospitalized for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. (Mark Lennihan/Associated Press)

Rapper Prodigy, a member of the New York hip-hop duo Mobb Deep,died on June 20 at the age of 42 after being hospitalized in Las Vegas for complications caused bysickle cell anemia.In addition to his music career, Prodigy also published a cookbook based on recipes from prison, afterhe did timefor weapons possession.

Martin Landau

Actor Martin Landau, who won an Oscar for Ed Wood, died at the age of 89 on July 15. (Blake Sell/Reuters)

His role in the 1994 film Ed Wood earned him an Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG award. Martin Landau died July 15 at the age of 89 in Los Angeles.

Chester Bennington

Chester Bennington of the rock group Linkin Park died July 20. (Jordan Strauss/Invision for MTV/Associated Press)

The Linkin Park lead singer died by suicide on July 20at his home near Los Angeles, at age 41. He had battledsubstance abuse for many years.

John Heard

Actor John Heard attends a film screening' on Aug. 2, 2013, in Los Angeles, Calif. Heard died earlier this year. (Mark Davis/Getty Images)

John Heard was known for his roles in the films Awakenings, Big, Beaches and Home Alone and also starred in the long-running TV show The Sopranos. He was briefly married to Canadian actress Margot Kidder. The actor died July 21 from cardiac arrest at a California hotel at age 71.

Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard, the famed playwright, director and actor, died July 27 at age 73. (Charles Sykes/Associated Press)

The esteemed playwright, director and actor won a Pulitzer Prize for Buried Child in 1979and an Oscar nomination for The Right Stuff in 1984.He died at age 73on July 27 from Lou Gehrig's disease complications.

Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell died Aug. 8 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT)

The Rhinestone Cowboy singer died at age 81 on Aug. 8 in Nashville, Tenn., after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. His lengthy career spanned pop and country music as well as movies and television.

Jerry Lewis

Actor and comedian Jerry Lewis died at age 91 Aug. 20. (Dan Steinberg/The Associated Press)

The comedy legend, whose fundraising telethons became as famous as his movies, died of natural causes at age 91on Aug. 20. Lewis was20 when his pairing with Dean Martin made them international stars. He went on to make The Bellboy,The Nutty Professor andwas featured in Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy,among other films.

Shelley Berman

Comedian Shelley Berman died at the age of 92. (Shea Walsh/The Associated Press)

Comedian Shelley Berman won gold records and appeared on top TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s, with clever monologues describing the mundane annoyances of everyday life. He died at his California home from Alzheimer's complications at the age of 92 on Sept. 1.

Harry Dean Stanton

Character actor Harry Dean Stanton died at the age of 91 Sept. 15. (Danny Moloshok/Reuters)

The character actor was known for his roles in films such as Godfather II, Alien, Pretty in Pink and The Green Mile.One of his last appearances on screen was in Twin Peaks: The Return, the 2017 continuation of David Lynch's TV series from 1990-91. Harry Dean Stanton died at the age of 91on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles.

Hugh Hefner

Playboy founder and businessman Hugh Hefner died Sept. 27 at the age of 91. (Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press)

The founder of Playboy transformed the publishing industry by combining sexual and mental stimulation inmainstream media. He was seen asa women's liberator by someand oppressorby others.Hugh Hefner died peacefully at the famous Playboy mansion in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on Sept. 27.

Monty Hall

Monty Hall, longtime host of the game show Let's Make A Deal, died Sept. 30 at age 96. (ordan Strauss, Invision/The Associated Press)

Winnipeg-born Monty Hall hosted the popular TV game show Let's Make A Deal for 23 years. He died Sept. 30 at the age of 96.

Tom Petty

I Won't Back Down singer Tom Petty, seen here at the L.A. premiere of the 2007 documentary Runnin' Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, died Oct. 2 after a cardiac arrest. (Chris Pizello/Associated Press)

Free Fallin' rocker Tom Petty suffered a cardiac arrest at his Malibu, Calif., home atage 66 and diedOct. 2. The legendary singer leaves behind decades of memorable songs,includingMary Jane's Last Dance,Learning to Fly andI Won't Back Down. The latter was credited on Sam Smith's 2014 smash hitStay With Me after a copyright dispute.

Gord Downie

Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie, performing here with band members Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair, Johnny Fay and Rob Baker during their Man Machine Poem tour, died October 17 after battling brain cancer. (Kevin Light/Reuters)

The Tragically Hip frontmanembarked on a farewell Canadian tour in 2016thatmoved the nation, after being diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer calledglioblastoma. Performingclassics such as Ahead by a Century,Bobcaygeon,and the hauntingly fitting Courage, the tourculminated in an emotional hometown gig in Kingston, Ont., that summer. He died the following year on Oct. 17 at the age of 53, surrounded by friends and family.

Fats Domino

Fats Domino, a legendary New Orleans musician, died Oct. 24 at age 89. (AFP/Getty Images)

The legendary New Orleans musician, referred to as a pioneer ofrock 'n'roll, died of natural causes at age 89on Oct. 24. He was one of the first R&B artists to become popular with white audiences, which some argue eventually contributed to breaking downsegregation barriers in the U.S.

Robert Guillaume

Actor Robert Guillaume died Oct. 24, 2017 in Los Angeles at age 89. Guillaume's widow Donna Brown Guillaume said he had been battling prostate cancer. (Chris Martinez/Associated Press)

Best known as the quick-witted butler in the 1970s and '80s on thesitcom Soap and its spinoffBenson, Robert Guillaumedied at age 89 in Los Angeles on Oct. 24. The Emmy award-winning actor rose from poverty as a child to help breakbarriers for African-Americans during his career on screen.

Azzedine Alaa

Franco-Tunisien celebrity fashion designer Azzedine Alaia died at age 77 on Nov. 18. (Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images)

The Tunisia-born celebrity fashion designer became known as the "king of cling" for his form-fitting clothing.Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Madonnaand Rihanna are just some of the high-profile women who have worn hisdesigns.He died in Paris on Nov. 18 at age 77.(Some reports suggest he was actually 82, and oftengave a date of birth that suggested he was five years younger.)

Malcolm Young

Malcolm Young of the Australian rock band AC/DC died Nov. 18 at age 64. (Getty Images)

AC/DC co-founder and guitarist Malcolm Young died Nov. 18 at age 64 after suffering from dementia, his bandmates said. Hehelped create some of the Australian rock band's greatest head-banging trackssuch as Highway to Hell, Hells Bells, Thunderstruck and Back in Black.

Earle Hyman

Earle Hyman, a veteran actor of stage and screen who was widely known for playing Russell Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died at the age of 91. (Ron Frehm/The Associated Press)

He was a veteran actor on stage, and in television and film, but Earle Hyman'sfame came playing a warm grandfather, Russell Huxtable,on The Cosby Show.He died at age 91 on Nov. 17 in Englewood, N.J.

Della Reese

Singer-actress Della Reese died Nov. 19 at age 86. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for The Salvation Army)

Della Reese was anactress and gospel-influenced singer whofound her greatest fame mid-career as Tess, the wise angel in the long-running television drama Touched by an Angel. Shedied peacefully at age 86 on Nov. 19ather home near Los Angeles.

David Cassidy

David Cassidy died Nov. 21 at age 67 after being hospitalized in Florida. (Dan Steinberg/Associated Press)

David Cassidy skyrocketed to fame playing the eldest child and lead singer onThe Patridge Family. He became a teen heartthrob in the 1970s. The singer-actor suffered organ failure and was admitted to a Florida hospital before he died on Nov. 21at the age of 67.

Kim Jong-hyun

Kim Jong-hyun, a member of the popular South Korean boyband SHINee, died at age 27 on Dec. 18. (Starnews/AFP/Getty Images)

The lead singer of the successful Korean pop group SHINee,Kim Jonghyun had a huge fan base. Fans came out in droves to pay tribute to the star, who died at the age of 27 on Dec. 18 in Seoul. His death was ruled a suicide. K-pop has a ubiquitous reputation for being extremely demanding and strict with its talent celebrities are often not allowed to be seen dating or embroiled in scandal.

Heather Menzies-Urich

Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa von Trapp in the Sound of Music, died Dec. 24 at age 68. (Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

TheToronto-born actress wasbest known for portraying the third-eldest child of the vonTrapp family, Louisa,in the 1965 classic filmThe Sound of Music. She died on Dec. 24 at age 68 in Frankford, Ont. According to her son, she had beendiagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Rose Marie

Actress and comedian Rose Marie of The Dick Van Dyke Show died Dec. 28 at age 94. (Nick Ut/Associated Press)

Rose Marie was famous for her role as Sally Rogers on the Dick Van Dyke Show, with a career that spanned several decades as an actress, singerand comedian. She died on Dec. 28 at the age of 94in Los Angeles.

With files from the Associated Press