24/7 LiveNew York CityNew JerseyLong IslandNorthern SuburbsConnecticut

IN MEMORIAM: Celebrities and notable figures who passed away in 2016

WABC logo
William Christopher, an actor best known for his role as Father John Mulcahy on the hit TV show 'M*A*S*H,' died on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016.
Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, best known for starring in "Singin' in the Rain," died on Dec. 28, 2016, just one day after her daughter, Carrie Fisher.
Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series, died Dec. 27, 2016 at the age of 60.
Barbara Tarbuck, 'General Hospital' and 'American Horror Story' actress, died Dec. 26, 2016 at age 74.
Ricky Harris, a comedian and actor known for his recurring role on the sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris,'' died Dec. 26, 2016. He was 54.
British singer George Michael, best known for pop hits "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" and "Careless Whisper," passed away in his home on Dec. 25, 2016.
A 1978 portrait of Hungarian-born American actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who died at age 99 on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016.
Dr. Henry Heimlich, who created the life-saving Heimlich maneuver for choking victims, died at age 96 on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016.
Craig Sager, the longtime sports reporter, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 15 after battling acute myeloid leukemia. He was 65.
Bernard Fox, Welsh actor known for playing Dr. Bombay on 'Bewitched' and Colonel Crittendon on 'Hogan's Heroes,' passed away on Dec. 14. He was 89.
Canadian actor, songwriter and television host Alan Thicke, famous for playing Jason Seaver on ABC's 'Growing Pains,' died on Dec. 13. He was 69.
Iconic NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, died Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016 at age 95.
Peter Vaughan, the British actor known for his role in "Game of Thrones," passed away Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 at 93.
Keo Woolford, an actor best known for playing James Chang in the reboot of ''Hawaii Five-0,'' died Monday, Nov. 28 at age 49 after a stroke.
Fidel Castro, former head of the Cuban government, passed away on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. He was 90.
Ron Glass, the character actor best known for his roles in ''Barney Miller'' and ''Firefly,'' died Nov. 25 at age 71.
Florence Henderson, an actress best known for playing the matriarch on ''The Brady Bunch,'' died Nov. 24, 2016. She was 82.
Gwen Ifill, a journalist best known as a co-anchor for PBS NewsHour, has died at the age of 61.
Leon Russell, a singer, producer and member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame known for songs like ''Tight Rope'' and ''A Song for You,'' died Nov. 13, 2016. He was 74.
Robert Vaughn, the star of the popular television series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," died Friday, November 11, 2016. He was 83.
Influential singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen passed away on Nov. 10, 2016. He was 82.
Janet Reno, the first woman to serve as the Attorney General of the United States, died Monday, November 7, 2016. She was 78.
Pete Burns, lead singer of the '80s British new wave band Dead or Alive, passed away from a heart attack on October 24, 2016. He was 57.
Bobby Vee, the pop singer known for 1960s hits like "Take Good Care of My Baby," died Oct. 24, 2016. He was 73.
Agnes Nixon, creator of television shows like "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," passed away on September 28, 2016. She was 93.
Former Israeli President Shimon Peres, a Nobel prize-winning leader noted for his efforts to bring about peace, died September 28, 2016 at age 93.
Golfing legend Arnold Palmer died Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Pittsburgh. He was 87.
Florida Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boat crash Sunday, September 25, 2016.
"Sound of Music actress Charmian Carr is seen in undated photos provided by the Carr family.
Alexis Arquette, an actress in the Arquette acting family whose sex reassignment surgery was documented in a 2007 film, died Sept. 11, 2016, at age 47.
Bobby Chacon, an International Boxing Hall of Famer and featherweight champion, died on Sept. 7, 2016. He was 64.
Television and film actor Jon Polito, known for his roles in Coen brothers films like ''The Big Lebowski,'' died on Sep. 2. He was 65.
Dr. Joy Browne, a psychologist known for her syndicated TV and radio shows, died Aug. 27, 2016 at age 71.
Actor Gene Wilder, star of 'Willy Wonka' and Mel Brooks comedies, has died at age 83, his family announced, Monday, August 29, 2016.
Legendary Mexican singer Juan Gabriel died at his Santa Monica home on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016.
Steven Hill, an actor best known for starring in ''Law & Order'' and ''Mission Impossible,'' died August 23, 2016 at age 94.
FILE - In this May 17, 2005 file photo, 3 Doors Down members, Matt Roberts, left, and Brad Arnold arrive at the BMI Pop Music Awards. Roberts died in Wisconsin.
FILE- In this June 27, 2007, file photo Lou Pearlman poses outside his office's at Church Street Station in Orlando, Fla.
Jack Riley, who played a counseling client on "The Bob Newhart Show" and voiced a character on Nickelodeon's "Rugrats," died Friday, August 19, 2016 at the age of 80.
Kenny Baker,, the actor best known for R2-D2 in the ''Star Wars'' films, was found dead in his home on August 13, 2016. He was 81.
John Saunders, a longtime ESPN host, has died at age 61, ESPN announced on August 10.
David Huddleston, star of "The Big Lebowski," dies at age 85.
Garry Marshall, creator of "Happy Days" and director of "Pretty Woman," died Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at age 81.
Elie Wiesel, a Nobel laureate who penned the book "Night" about his experience in a Nazi concentration camp, died July 2, 2016, at age 87.
Scotty Moore, a pioneering rock guitarist who played on Elvis Presley hits like "Hound Dog," died June 28, 2016, at age 84.
Buddy Ryan, an NFL coach and defensive coordinator whose teams included the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and New York Jets, has died at age 82.
Pat Summitt, the Tennessee women's college basketball legend who was the winningest coach in Division I history, died June 28, 2016. She was 64.
American bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley, among of the first six artists inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, passed away June 23, 2016. He was 89.
Anton Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, died at the age of 27 on June 19, his publicist confirmed.
Ann Morgan Guilbert, best known for playing Millie on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show,'' passed away from cancer on June 14, 2016. She was 87.
Janet Waldo, best known as the voice of Judy Jetson on the hit cartoon show "The Jetsons," died Sunday, June 12, 2016. She was 96.
Gordie Howe, former Detroit Red Wings player and Hockey Hall of Famer, died at age 88, the Red Wings confirmed on June 10, 2016.
Professional mixed martial artist Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice, died June 6, 2016. He was 42.
Muhammad Ali, former professional boxer and often considered one of the greatest athletes in history, passed away on Friday, June 3, 2016. He was 74.
Beth Howland, the actress best known for her role as Vera Louise Gorman on ''Alice,'' died Dec. 31, 2015 at age 74. Her family announced it in May 2016.
Actor Alan Young, star of the TV series "Mr. Ed" and voice of the Disney character Scrooge McDuck, died May 19, 2016 at the age of 96.
Morley Safer of ''60 Minutes'' has died at age 84, the show confirmed.
Grammy-winning country singer-songwriter Guy Clark died May 17, 2016 at age 74.
Emilio Navaira, known as the king of Tejano music, died May 16, 2016. He was 53.
Afeni Shakur, the mother of rap artist Tupac, died May 2, 2016 at age 69.
Grammy-winning soul singer Billy Paul, best known for his hit "Me and Mrs. Jones," died April 24. He was 81.
Crime writer Michelle McNamara of the site True Crime Diary, who was married to comedian Patton Oswalt, died April 21. She was 46.
Pop singer Prince Rogers Nelson, more commonly known just as Prince, has died. He was 57.
WWF wrestler and actress Joan Marie Laurer, better known as Chyna, was found dead on April 20. She was 46.
Emmy-winning actress Doris Roberts, known for her role as the Marie Barone in 'Everybody Loves Raymond', passed away April 17, 2016. She was 90.
David Gest, music producer, reality television star and former husband of Liza Minelli, was found dead at a London hotel on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. He was 62.
Radio personality Doug Banks died on April 11, 2016. He was 57.
Ed Snider, founder and owner of the Philadelphia Flyers NHL team, died on April 11, 2016 after a battle with cancer. He was 83.
Former New Orleans Saints defensive end and Super Bowl champ Will Smith was shot and killed April 9 following a car accident. He was 34.
Country music legend Merle Haggard died, Wednesday, April6, 2016 at age 79.
Joe Medicine Crow, the Native American historian who received a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, died April 3 at age 102.
Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke died Tuesday, March 29, 2016. She was 69.
Actor and comedian Garry Shandling, best known for his work on the 90s comedy series "The Larry Sanders Show," died Thursday, March 24, 2016. He was 66.
Ken Howard, actor and president of SAG-AFTRA, died on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. He was 71.
Announcer and former baseball player Joe Garagiola passed away on Wednesday. He was 90.
Hip hop artist Phife Dawg of 'A Tribe Called Quest' died Wednesday at the age of 45.
Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford died on March 22 after fighting cancer. He was 46.
Andy Grove, the onetime chairman and CEO of Intel and legendary tech leader, died Monday, March 21, 2016. He was 79.
Tray Walker, cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens, died on Mar. 18 after being critically injured in a dirt bike accident. He was 23.
Larry Drake, who starred on the drama "LA Law," died Thursday, March 17, 2016. He was 66.
Raymond Tomlinson, the programmer known for inventing modern email, died March 5.
Nancy Reagan, wife of the late President Ronald Reagan, died Sunday, March 6, 2016, at her home in Los Angeles. She was 94.
Joey Feek, of the country duo Joey + Rory, died Friday, March 4, 2016 following a battle with cancer. She was 40.
Joey Feek, of the country duo Joey + Rory, died Friday, March 4, 2016 following a battle with cancer. She was 40.
Lee Reherman, athlete and star on "American Gladiators, died on Mar. 2, 2016. He was 49.
Harper Lee, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," died Friday, February 19, 2016 at the age of 89.
Reality TV star Angela Raiola, better known as Big Ang, died Feb. 18 at age 55 after a year-long battle with cancer.
Maurice White, co-founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, died Feb. 4, 2016. He was 74.
Abe Vigoda, known for his roles in the 1970s TV series "Barney Miller" and "The Godfather," died Tuesday at age 94.
Glenn Frey, a founding member of the Eagles, died Jan. 18, 2016. He was 67 years old.
Dan Haggerty, best known for his role as Grizzly Adams, passed away Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at the age of 74.
Rene Angelil, husband and manager of Canadian singer Celine Dion, died Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 following a battle with cancer. He was 73.
Actor Alan Rickman, known for his villainous roles such as Snape in ''Harry Potter'' and Hans Gruber in ''Die Hard,'' has died at age 69.
Former Butler basketball player Andrew Smith, who played on both of the school's national runner-up teams, died Jan. 7, 2016 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 25.
David Bowie died Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, after battling cancer for 18 months. He was 69.
Country singer Craig Strickland was found dead on Jan. 4, 2016, more than a week after he went missing while on a hunting trip. He was 29.
Hollywood producer Robert Stigwood, whose notable works include ''Grease'' and ''Saturday Night Fever,'' died Jan. 4, 2016 at age 81.
Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole, the daughter of Nat King Cole who also had her own hits like ''This Will Be,'' died Dec. 31, 2015 at age 65.
1 of 98
William Christopher, an actor best known for his role as Father John Mulcahy on the hit TV show 'M*A*S*H,' died on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016.
AP Photo/Wally Fong
Report a correction or typo
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Related Topics

  • CELEBRITY DEATHS
  • FAMOUS DEATH
  • CELEBRITY
  • U.S. & WORLD
  • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Related

In memoriam: Musicians we lost in 2016

Actors, artists and notable figures we lost in 2016

Watch Live
ON NOW

Top Stories

AccuWeather: Damp start, brightening

  • 34 minutes ago

Guy Rivera gets 115 years for killing NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller

Bodega worker killed after dispute in store spills outside in East Village

15-year-old shot on subway in Queens was also shot in February amid ongoing dispute

15-year-old boy hospitalized after being shot on Manhattan-bound subway train in Queens

ABC7 New York
Topics
HomeWeatherTraffic7 On Your Side7 on Your Side InvestigatesLocalishShopWatch ABC 7 New YorkApps
Regions
New York CityNew JerseyLong IslandNorthern SuburbsConnecticut
More Content
New York LotteryNeighborhood Safety TrackerUS & World NewsPoliticsHealthSportsOur AmericaOn The Red CarpetPodcastsabc7NY En Español
Station Info
Submit a News TipEmploymentMeet the Eyewitness News TeamABC 7 In Your CommunityAbout ABC 7AccessibilityContests and Rules
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
Children's Privacy Policy
Your US State Privacy Rights
Terms of Use
Interest-Based Ads
Public Inspection File
FCC Applications
Copyright © 2026 ABC, Inc., WABC-TV New York. All Rights Reserved.