In Memoriam: Movie, TV and Music Stars We Lost in 2018

By Pat Saperstein

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Every year, the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys must choose which notable performers and creators to memorialize in their In Memoriam segments, and the three organizations will have many talented entertainers to remember at 2019’s ceremonies.

The past year saw the loss of celebrated stars of the big screen, such “Smokey and the Bandit” star  Burt Reynolds, who died Sept. 6. Reynolds, who was 82, earned an Oscar nom for “Boogie Nights” and also appeared on television in “Evening Shade.”

Among the other notable movie performers lost this year were “Superman” and “Smallville” actress  Margot Kidder,  who died May 13; “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” star Sondra Locke , who was also a film director and died Nov. 3; and Susan Anspach , who starred in “Five Easy Pieces” and “Blume in Love” and died April 2.

Several stars known for their work in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s passed away in 2018, including  Dorothy Malone , who starred in “Written on the Wind” and on TV in “Peyton Place.” She died Jan. 19. One-time teen heartthrob Tab Hunter , who starred in “Damn Yankees” and “Polyester,” died July 8, while Barbara Harris , who starred in “Nashville,” “Freaky Friday” and “Family Plot,” died Aug. 21.

Verne Troyer,  a favorite as Mini-Me in “Austin Powers,” died April 21, and on Nov. 24, magic and movie fans mourned master magician Ricky Jay , who starred in several David Mamet movies as well as in HBO’s “Deadwood.” “Full Metal Jacket” actor  R. Lee Ermey died April 15.

It was also a sad year for creative talents in the movie world. Marvel legend and “Spider-Man” creator  Stan Lee died Nov. 12 at 95, while “The Princess Bride” writer  William Goldman  died Nov. 16 and “The Odd Couple” writer  Neil Simon  died Aug. 26.

A trio of esteemed international directors died this past year: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” helmer  Milos Forman died April 13, while “The Last Emperor” director  Bernardo Bertolucci died Nov. 26 and “Don’t Look Now” director  Nicolas Roeg died Nov. 23.

TV

A number of prominent performers on the small screen died this year. Penny Marshall , who delighted 1970s TV fans as “Laverne & Shirley’s” Laverne and who also directed feature films including “Big” and “A League of Their Own,” died Dec. 17.

“Coach” star  Jerry Van Dyke died Jan. 5, while “MASH” actor  David Ogden Stiers died March 3. “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” host  Robin Leach died Aug. 24, and sportscaster Keith Jackson died Jan. 12.

Actresses we lost include “Band Wagon” star and “Hollywood Squares” panelist  Nanette Fabray  and “The Facts of Life” housemother Charlotte Rae , who died Aug. 5.

Among the many notable TV series actors who died were “F-Troop” and “Mayberry R.F.D.” star  Ken Berry;  “Frasier’s”  John Mahoney ; Hugh Dane , who played Hank the Security Guard on “The Office”; “I Dream of Jeannie” star  Bill Daily ; “The Walking Dead” actor  Scott Wilson ; and  Reg E. Cathey  of “The Wire.”

“Glee” star  Mark Salling died Jan. 30 at 35 years old. He had been facing a prison term for possessing child pornography.

TV creatives who died this year include “SpongeBob” creator  Stephen Hillenburg , who died Nov. 26 of ALS at 57 years old.  Craig Zadan , who produced live TV musicals such as “The Sound of Music Live” in addition to the Oscars and movies like “Chicago,” died Aug. 20. Producer Steven Bochco , the creator of “NYPD Blue,” died April 1.

Music

The music world was rocked by the deaths of DJ  Avicii,  who was 28, on April 20 and rapper  Mac Miller,  at 26 on Sept. 7. Rapper XXXTentacion died as a result of a shooting on June 18; he was 20.

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin , died Aug. 16 of pancreatic cancer. Franklin won 18 Grammy Awards, was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement honoree.

The Temptations vocalist  Dennis Edwards died Feb. 1, and  Yvonne Staples  of the Staple Singers died April 10.

“Arrival” and “Sicario” composer  Johann Johannsson  died Feb. 9 at 48 years old.

In the rock world, “Jefferson Airplane” co-founder  Marty Balin died Sept. 27 and Cranberries singer  Dolores O’Riordan died Jan. 15, while Buzzcocks frontman  Pete Shelley died Dec. 6.

Legendary crooner  Vic Damone  died Feb. 11, and jazz singer Nancy Wilson died Dec. 13.