This year has seen the passing of many prominent entertainers and other persons. Here are just a few of the people we lost this year.
David Bowie
Jan. 8, 1947 – Jan. 10, 2016
According to Billboard, Bowie was known for his songs “Heroes,” “Under Pressure,” “Let’s Dance” and more. Time Magazine and Billboard claim he reshaped the music industry during his career. Bowie won dozens of awards, including the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Alan Rickman
Feb. 21, 1946 – Jan. 14, 2016
Throughout his long acting career, Rickman was known for his role as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies, as well as his roles in films like “Love Actually” and the new “Alice in Wonderland” movies, IMDb states. Over his career he won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and other awards.
Joe Alaskey
April 17, 1952 – Feb. 3, 2016
According to IMDb, Alaskey was considered one of the most talented voice actors in the business. He was most famous for voicing Loony Toons characters like Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird, as well as characters in other popular cartoons.
Antonin Scalia
March 11, 1936 – Feb. 13, 2016
Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in the mid 80s, Scalia served as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States until his death in February according to the official Supreme Court website.
Harper Lee
April 28, 1926 – Feb. 19, 2016
Author of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Go Set a Watchman,” Lee won the Pulitzer Prize despite controversy surrounding her bestseller, according to IMDb.
Ray Tomlinson
April 23, 1941 – March 5, 2016
Tomlinson, according to CNN, was a prominent computer scientist, credited with creating the first email system and helping pioneer technology that led to the Internet. Tomlinson also championed the use of the ‘@’ symbol in emails, a practice still in use today.
Nancy Reagan
July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016
Former First Lady of the United States, Reagan promoted the anti-drug campaign “Just Say No” during her husband Ronald Reagan’s presidency, as well as a large renovation of the White House, the New York Times reported.
Prince
June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016
According to Billboard, Prince Rogers Nelson, commonly referred to as just Prince, was a famed musician known for funk and R&B styles in songs such as “Purple Rain” and “1999.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and was ranked 27th in Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists.
Muhammad Ali
Jan. 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016
Born Cassius Clay Jr., Ali is considered one of the most celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. Ali changed his name after converting to Islam, was arrested for draft evasion during the Vietnam War and won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics as well as many other boxing titles, according to NBC.
Christina Grimmie
March 12, 1994 – June 10, 2016
After finishing third during season six of the popular singing contest show “The Voice” in 2014, Grimmie was offered multiple record deals and began building a successful career, according to CNN and Billboard. Unfortunately, on June 10, a gunman shot and killed her before killing himself at one of Grimmie’s shows in Orlando.
Anton Yelchin
March 11, 1989 – June 19, 2016
According to IMDb, Yelchin was a popular actor, known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the newest “Star Trek” movies, among other roles. According to Daily Mail, Yelchin was killed in a freak accident at his home when his car rolled backward and hit him.
Elie Wiesel
Sept. 30, 1928 – July 2, 2016
After surviving the Holocaust at the infamous Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps, Wiesel went on to write a memoir titled “Night” about his time at the camps and become a political activist. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as many other awards, including an honorary knighthood in Britain, according to his foundation’s website and CNN.
Gene Wilder
June 11, 1933 – Aug. 29, 2016
Born Jerome Silberman, Wilder is most known for his role in the 1971 version of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” He also starred in dozens of movies and television shows, including the “The Producers” (1967), “Young Frankenstein” and “Blazing Saddles,” according to IMDb.
José Fernández
July 31, 1992 – Sept. 25, 2016
Originally born in Cuba, Fernández made three unsuccessful attempts at defecting before he finally made it to the U.S. in 2008. After high school, he was drafted as the Miami Marlins’ pitcher. He won Rookie of the Year in 2013 and was a two-time All Star, according to ESPN.
Arnold Palmer
Sept. 10, 1929 – Sept. 25, 2016
Widely regarded as one of the best golfers in history, Palmer helped bring golf into the limelight during the 50s. Palmer is the winner of scores of tournaments including the famous Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, according to his website and USA Today.
Fidel Castro
Aug. 13, 1926 – Nov. 25, 2016
Coming into power in Cuba in 1959 after overthrowing dictator Fulgencia Batista, Castro made Cuba the first Communist country in the western hemisphere. Tensions rose when the U.S. discovered Cuba was housing Soviet Union missile sites, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Castro stepped down in 2008, according to the New York Times.
John Glenn
July 18, 1921 – Dec. 8, 2016
According to the NASA website, in 1962 Glenn was the first astronaut to circle the Earth. After retiring from NASA in 1964, Glenn became a U.S. senator, representing Ohio. After four terms, he retired and returned to NASA for one last mission in 1998 at the age of 77 aboard the Discovery space shuttle. This mission made Glenn the oldest human to ever go into space.
Carrie Fisher
Oct. 21, 1956 – Dec. 27, 2016
Known for her role as Princess Leia in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, Fisher spent her career using her popularity to speak about feminism, mental illness and addiction, according to the New York Times. IMDb credits Fisher with appearing in a myriad of television shows and movies including “The Blues Brothers” and “When Harry Met Sally.”
Debbie Reynolds
April 1, 1932 – Dec. 28, 2016
Passing away just a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds is credited with her roles in the “Halloweentown” movies and the original “Singin’ in the Rain” movie, among others. She was nominated for an Oscar and multiple Golden Globes and Emmys, according to IMDb.
