It was a murder case almost everyone had an opinion on. O.J. Simpson 's “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement in America and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings.
But he was just one of many celebrities who died in 2024.
The music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. His many contributions included producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album and working with hundreds of other musicians over a long and storied career.
Other artists and entertainers who died this year include: actors James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, Donald Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jr., Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Carl Weathers, Joyce Randolph and Shannen Doherty; musicians Sergio Mendes, Toby Keith, Phil Lesh, Melanie and Frankie Beverly; filmmakers Roger Corman and Morgan Spurlock; authors Faith Ringgold and Nikki Giovanni; TV fitness guru Richard Simmons; and sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, to name a few.
We also lost celebrities with strong ties to Chicago, including comedian/TV icon Bob Newhart, talk show host and TV pioneer Phil Donahue, beloved children's music icon Ella Jenkins, radio disc jockey legend Dick Biondi, and rock underground musician/producer Steve Albini.
Here is a roll call of some notable figures who died in 2024:
Glynis Johns, 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4.
David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4.
Joyce Randolph, 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13.
Mary Weiss, 75. The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack.” Jan. 19.
Charles Osgood, 91. He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23.
Melanie, 76. The singer-songwriter who rose through the New York folk scene, performed at Woodstock and had a series of 1970s hits including the enduring cultural phenomenon “Brand New Key.” Jan. 23.
Herbert Coward, 85. He was known for his “Toothless Man” role in the movie “Deliverance.” Jan. 24.
Chita Rivera, 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30.
Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1.
Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5.
Henry Fambrough, 85. The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “The Rubberband Man.” Feb. 7.
Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27.
Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11.
Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28.
Chance Perdomo, 27. An actor who rose to fame as a star of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Gen V.” March 29.
Julius Russell, 53. The Chicagoan quit a career in sales to pursue his dream of being a chef. He started his own company and named it A Tale of Two Chefs, offering catering and his services as a private chef. He developed a long list of well-known clients that included Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Juanita Vanoy, Michael Jordan’s ex-wife. March 30.
Barbara Rush, 97. A popular leading actor in the 1950s and 1960s who co-starred with Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman and other top film performers and later had a thriving TV career. March 31.
O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10.
Robert MacNeil, 93. He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12.
Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12.
Dickey Betts, 80. The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” April 18.
Sir Andrew Davis, 80. The acclaimed British conductor was music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and orchestras on three continents. In 2020, during his final season with Lyric, Davis told the Chicago Sun-Times he had “a wonderful time” working with Lyric’s orchestra, which he called “second to none on the international scene.” April 20.
Duane Eddy, 86. A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser” and “Peter Gunn” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30.
Jeannie Epper, 83. A groundbreaking performer who did stunts for many of the most important women of film and television action of the 1970s and ’80s, including star Lynda Carter on TV’s “Wonder Woman.” May 5.
Bernard Hill, 79. An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic.” May 5.
Steve Albini, 61. An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7.
Roger Corman, 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9.
Dabney Coleman, 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16.
Morgan Spurlock, 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet. May 23.
Janis Paige, 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2.
Anouk Aimée, 92. The radiant French star and dark-eyed beauty of classic films including Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” and Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman.” June 18.
Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20.
Bill Cobbs, 90. The veteran character actor became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man. June 25.
Dick Biondi, 90. Influential in advancing the careers of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others, Biondi — Chicago's definitive voice of Top 40 radio —was the first disc jockey to play the Beatles on American radio. June 26.
Martin Mull, 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27.
Joe Bonsall, 76. A Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys. July 9.
Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12.
Shannen Doherty, 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13.
Richard Simmons, 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13.
James Sikking, 90. He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character’s kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” July 13.
Cheng Pei-pei, 78. A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” July 17.
Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18.
Abdul “Duke” Fakir, 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” July 22.
In this file photo, Jack Russell of Great White, performs during a benefit to honor the memory of the band’s guitarist Ty Longley at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, in 2003. Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” has died at 63.
Jill Connelly/AP, file
Jack Russell, 63. The lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band Great White, whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7.
Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13.
Gena Rowlands, 94. She was hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14.
Peter Marshall, 98. The actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares.” Aug. 15.
Alain Delon, 88. The internationally acclaimed French actor embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world. Aug. 18.
Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18.
Mickey Loewenstein, 90. As the WTTW set designer for Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's TV series, one colleague noted Lowenstein "was a master of forced perspective, a technique he used to make the Sun-Times and Tribune film critics look as if they were offering up movie reviews from the balcony of a large movie theater instead of inside tiny TV studio." Aug. 20.
John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21.
Leonard Riggio, 83. A brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country’s most powerful bookseller before it was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com. Aug. 27.
Jack Conaty, 77. The Fox Chicago political reporter was a high school English teacher before switching gears and pursuing journalism. The educational background, colleagues said, allowed him to deliver complex news stories in a way that was concise and easy to understand. Aug. 28.
Fatman Scoop, 56. The hip-hop artist topped charts in Europe with “Be Faithful” in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by artists including Missy Elliott and Ciara. Aug. 30.
Eric Gilliland, 62. Gilliand grew up in Glenview and was head writer for the TV series "Roseanne." Sept. 1.
James Darren, 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2.
Sergio Mendes, 83. The Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend. Sept. 5.
James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9.
Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go.” Sept. 10.
Jim Sasser, 87. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate and six years as ambassador to China. Sept. 10.
Chilli Pepper. The entertainer, who was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2007, was a guest on shows such as "Donahue" and "Oprah," where she spoke with dignity and clarity and helped educate millions of viewers about drag as an art form, the gay community and AIDS. Sept. 11.
Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15.
John David “JD” Souther, 78. A prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Sept. 17.
Nick Gravenites, 85. The musician penned "Born in Chicago" and fostered blues revival. From the Southwest Side son of Greek immigrants to beatnik to bluesman — Mr. Gravenites’ journey was singular. Sept. 18
Kathryn Crosby, 90. She appeared in such movies as “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”, “Anatomy of a Murder,” and “Operation Mad Ball” before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby. Sept. 20.
Cat Glover, 62. The dancer from Chicago who performed with Prince, made it her goal to meet the superstar when she was a dancer working at clubs in Chicago. She went on to perform on his “Sign o’ the Times” and “Lovesexy” tours. Sept. 24.
John Ashton, 76. The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films. Sept. 26.
Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27.
Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28.
Drake Hogestyn, 70. The “Days of Our Lives” star appeared on the show for 38 years. Sept. 28.
Gavin Creel, 48. A Broadway musical theater veteran who won a Tony Award for “Hello, Dolly!” opposite Bette Midler and earned nominations for “Hair” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Sept. 30.
Ken Page, 70. A stage and screen actor who starred alongside Beyoncé in “Dreamgirls,” introduced Broadway audiences to Old Deuteronomy in “Cats” and scared generations of kids as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the villain of the 1993 animated holiday film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Sept. 30.
Artie Baldacci, 73. The drummer was the throbbing heart of Heartsfield, a band formed by a group of Chicago South Side rockers in 1970 that opened for some of the biggest names in music, including Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, the Charlie Daniels Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Waylon Jennings, Kiss and the Marshall Tucker Band, among others. Sept. 30.
Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7.
Liam Payne, 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16.
Mitzi Gaynor, 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17.
Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25.
Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29.
Quincy Jones, 91. The multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3.
Elwood Edwards, 74. He voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting. Nov. 5.
Tony Todd, 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6.
Judith Jamison, 81. The transcendent dancer and artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance helped make the company one of the most successful and critically acclaimed in the U.S. Nov. 9.
Ella Jenkins, 100. The beloved "first lady of children's music" Chicagoan Jenkins traveled the world, performing for generations of kids who never forgot listening to and performing with her. She has a Grammy Award, and her music is in the Library of Congress. Nov. 9.
Arthur Frommer, 95. His “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18.
Kris Vire, 47. The Chicago theater writer and critic was staunch supporter of the city's vibrant stage community. “Advocating for storefront and independent theaters, that’s his legacy, it’s what got him out of bed in the morning,” a former colleague said. Nov. 16.
Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23.
Barbara Taylor Bradford, 91. A British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga “A Woman of Substance” and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies. Nov. 24.
Silvia Spinal, 93. The "last great diva" of Mexican cinema. As her star status began to cross borders, Pinal cemented her international acclaim with a trilogy of films by surrealist filmmaker Luis Buñuel. Nov. 28
Nikki Giovanni, 81. The poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her blunt and conversational takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality. Dec. 9.
George Joseph Kresge Jr., 89. He was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin. Dec. 10.
Rodessa Barrett Porter, 94. Mrs. Porter was one of a handful of people with direct ties to Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel music. She and her sisters used to listen to him at Chicago’s Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. Dec. 16.
