With the recent passing of celebrated filmmaker and actress Penny Marshall, let’s look back at some of the many familiar faces we lost over this past year. From actors and singers all the way to a theoretical physicist and former U.S. president, 2018 was a year of many notable deaths.
While it’s sad to say goodbye to the famous faces we are so accustomed to seeing, it is the legacy of their work that will live on forever. Stan Lee, who passed on Nov. 13, leaves behind a canon of comic book stories and characters that continue to influence the film industry, while the late Kate Spade’s designs are still being produced and sold across the globe.
The late Mac Miller’s latest album is nominated for two Grammys in 2019, while scientists are still dissecting recent theories from Stephen Hawking, who we lost last March. Burt Reynolds, former president George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush, John McCain and Aretha Franklin are just a few of the many notable people that died this past year.
Reflect back on the celebrity deaths of 2018 below:
1. Penny Marshall
Age: 75
Sign: Libra
Notable work (actress): played Laverne DeFazio on both “Happy Days” (1975-1979) and spinoff “Laverne & Shirley” (1976-1983), see more.
Notable work (director): “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996), “A League of Their Own” (1992) “Awakenings” (1990), “Big” (1988), see more.
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Fast Fact #1: In 1993, the filmmaker made a small cameo in Disney’s “Hocus Pocus,” where she played the wife of her real-life brother Garry Marshall
2. George H. W. Bush
DOD: November 30, 2018
Age: 94
Sign: Gemini
Legacy: 41st President of the United States of America
Fast Fact #1: inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011, according to his IMDb page.
3. Stan Lee
Age: 95
Sign: Capricorn
Notable work: credited as creator of popular Marvel superheroes including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Black Panther, Thor, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange.
Fast Fact #1: the only actor to appear in every Marvel Cinematic Universe film, according to IMDb.
4. Sondra Locke
Age: 74
Sign: Gemini
Notable work: “The Second Coming of Suzanne” (1973; film), “Bronco Billy” (1980; film), “Any Which Way You Can” (1980; film), “Sudden Impact” (1983; film), see more.
Fast Fact #1: said to be Brian de Palma’s original vision for the titular role of “Carrie” (1976; film), but turned down the role over salary, according to IMDB.
Fast Fact #2: co-starred in 6 films with Clint Eastwood from 1976-1983.
5. Mac Miller
Age: 26
Sign: Capricorn
Fast Fact #1: played D’Andre in “Scary Movie 5” (2013; film)
Fast Fact #2: has a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album of 2019
6. Burt Reynolds
Age: 82
Sign: Aquarius
Notable work: “Deliverance” (1972; film), “The Longest Yard” (1974; film), “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977; film), “The Man Who Loved Women” (1982; film), Boogie Nights” (1997; film)
Fast Fact #1: graduated Florida State University in 1958, according to his IMBd page.
Fast Fact #2: the only film he’s ever been in to be nominated for a “best picture” Academy Award was “Deliverance” back in 1972.
7. Neil Simon
Age: 91
Sign: Cancer
Notable work: “Barefoot in the Park” (1963; writer), “The Odd Couple” (1965; writer), “Sweet Charity” (1966; writer), “The Goodbye Girl” (1977; writer), “Brighton Beach Memoirs” (1982; writer).
Fast Fact #1: received the Pulitzer prize for “Lost In Yonkers” (1991; writer)
Fast Fact #2: has more Oscar and Tony award nominations than any other writer, according to IMBD.
8. John McCain
Age: 81
Sign: Virgo
Fast Fact #1: nicknamed “The Maverick”
Fast Fact #2: appears in the 2005 comedy movie”Wedding Crashers,” as well as television series “24” (2006) and “Parks and Recreations” (2012; 2015)
9. Aretha Franklin
DOD: August 16, 2018
Age: 76
Sign: Aries
Notable songs: “Respect” (1967), “Chain of Fools” (1967), “(You Make Me Feel) A Natural Woman” (1968), “Thing” (1968)
Fast Fact #1: Also known as “The Queen of Soul”
Fast Fact #2: played Mrs. Murphy in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers”
10. Anthony Bourdain
Age: 61
Sign: Cancer
Notable (aside from chef work): “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (T.V. series documentary)
Fast Fact #1: played himself in “The Big Short”(2015; film) and “The Simpsons” (2011; T.V.)
11. Kate Spade
Age: 55
Sign: Capricorn
Notable work: fashion designer and creator of Kate Spade New York
Fast Fact #1: Sister-in-law of comedian David Spade.
Fast Fact #2: Aunt of Rachel Brosnahan, title role of Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
12. Verne Troyer
Age: 49
Sign: Capricorn
Notable work: Mini-Me in “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1999; film) and in it’s follow-up “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002; film)
Fast Fact #1: played Griphook in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001; film)
13. Avicii
Age: 28
Sign: Virgo
Notable songs: “Levels” (2011)
Fast Fact #1: born as Tim Bergling
Fast Fact #2: nominated for a 2 Grammy awards (2012; 2013)
14. Barbara Bush
Age: 92
Sign: Gemini
Legacy: First lady of the United States
Fast Fact #1: George and Barbara Bush were the longest-married presidential First Couple, according to IMDb.
Fast Fact #2: born as Barbara Pierce
15. R. Lee Ermey
Age: 74
Sign: Aries
Notable work: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket” (1987; film), “Se7en” (1995; film), “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2003; film)
Fast Fact #1: voiced Sarge in all three “Toy Story” films (1996; 1999; 2010)
Fast Fact #2: served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1961 to 1971
16. Stephen Hawking
Age: 76
Sign: Capricorn
Notable work: his groundbreaking work/theories in physics and cosmology including “A Brief History of Time” (1989)
Fast Fact #1: died on Albert Einstein’s 139th birthday
Fast Fact #2: played himself in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987; T.V.), “The Simpsons” (1989; T.V.), “Futurama” (1999; T.V.) and “The Big Bang Theory (2007; T.V.)
17. Margot Kidder
Age: 69
Sign: Libra
Notable work: Lois Lane in “Superman” (1978; film; sequels), “The Amityville Horror” (1979; film), “Halloween II” (2009; film)
Fast Fact #1: appeared in two episodes of the television series “Smallville” (2004)
Fast Fact #2: actively supported Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign, according to IMDb.
18. Reg E. Cathey
Age: 59
Sign: Leo
Notable work: “The Mask” (1994; film), “Tank Girl” (1995; film), “Oz” (1997-2003; T.V.), “Law & Order: SVU” (1999-2012; T.V.), “The Wire” (2002-2008; T.V.), “The Machanist” (2004; film), “S.W.A.T.” (2005; film), “House of Cards” (2013-2018; T.V.), “The Fantastic Four” (2015; film), “Luke Cage” (2018; T.V.), see more.
Fast Fact #1: had a recurring role in every television series written and produced by David Simon”Homicide: Life on the Street” (1993), “Homicide: The Movie” (2000), “The Corner” (2000) and “The Wire” (2002), according to IMDb.
19. Dolores O’Riordan
Age: 46
Sign: Virgo
Notable work: lead singer of the the Cranberries from 1990-2003 and then 2009-2018 (reunited)
Fast Fact #1: turned down an offer to act in and compose music for “Titanic” (1997; film), due to the birth of her son, according to IMDb.
Lead images by REX/Shutterstock. Information sourced from IMDb and IMDb birth signs database.