Another year comes to a close and once again our minds turn to the entertainment world and the artists we lost in the past twelve months.
Among the entertainers who left the world this year was singer Tina Turner, who died May 24. Turner’s powerful voice and stage presence brought her fame across multiple decades, first with her abusive husband, Ike Turner, in the 1960s and ’70s. But after leaving their marriage, she found fame again in the 1980s with her hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
Others in the world of arts and entertainment who died this year include: actors Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, Raquel Welch, Richard Belzer and Richard Roundtree; musicians Jimmy Buffett, Sinéad O’Connor, Burt Bacharach, David Crosby and Tony Bennett; civil rights activist and entertainer Harry Belafonte; TV producer Norman Lear; filmmaker William Friedkin; TV hosts Bob Barker and Jerry Springer; guitarist Jeff Beck and “Sesame Street” co-creator Lloyd Morrisett.
Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023, with links to their full obituaries:
JANUARY
Fred White, 67. A drummer who backed up his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in the Grammy-winning ensemble Earth, Wind & Fire. Jan. 1.
Frank Galati, 79. The Tony Award-winning Chicago actor-director was known for his work at Steppenwolf Theatre and the Goodman Theatre, among many other local companies. Jan. 2.
Jeff Beck, 78. A guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player. Jan. 10.
Melinda Dillon. 83. The mom in “A Christmas Story” was also a two-time Oscar nominee for “Close Encounters” and “Absence of Malice” and got her start at Goodman School and Second City. Jan. 9.
Tatjana Patitz, 56. She was one of an elite group of supermodels who graced magazine covers in the 1980s and ’90s and appeared in George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90” music video. Jan. 11.
Lisa Marie Presley, 54. The only child of Elvis Presley and a singer-songwriter dedicated to her father’s legacy. Jan. 12.
Robbie Knievel, 60. An American stunt performer who set records with daredevil motorcycle jumps following in the tire tracks of his thrill-seeking father Evel Knievel. Jan. 13.
Lloyd Morrisett, 93. The co-creator of the beloved children’s TV series “Sesame Street,” which has used empathy and fuzzy monsters like Elmo and Cookie Monster to charm and teach generations around the world. Jan. 15.
Gina Lollobrigida, 95. An Italian film legend who achieved international stardom during the 1950s and was dubbed “the most beautiful woman in the world” after the title of one of her movies. Jan. 16.
Michael Lehrer, 44. Actor co-wrote and co-starred in three revues at the Second City e.t.c. theater, then became a stand-up comedian focusing on life with ALS. Jan. 17.
David Crosby, 81. The brash rock musician evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Jan. 18.
Lin Brehmer, 68. Brehmer worked at WXRT radio for more than three decades. He loved the Cubs and Chicago’s music, theater and food scenes. Jan. 22.
Cindy Williams, 75. She was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley on the beloved sitcom “Laverne & Shirley.” Jan. 25.
Barrett Strong, 81. One of Motown’s founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company’s breakthrough single “Money (That’s What I Want)” and collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “War” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” Jan. 28.
FEBRUARY
Paco Rabanne, 88. The Spanish-born designer known for perfumes sold worldwide but who made his name with metallic space-age fashions that put a bold, new edge on catwalks. Feb. 3.
Jack Taylor, 94. The longtime WGN-TV anchor had a seven-decade career in journalism, worked alongside Len O’Connor, Harry Volkman and Jack Brickhouse and became something of a legend himself. Feb. 3
Burt Bacharach, 94. The singularly gifted and popular composer who delighted millions with the quirky arrangements and unforgettable melodies of “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and dozens of other hits. Feb. 8.
Hugh Hudson, 86. A British filmmaker who debuted as a feature director with the Oscar-winning Olympics drama “Chariots of Fire” and made other well-regarded movies including “My Life So Far” and the Oscar-nominated “Greystroke.” Feb. 10.
David Jude Jolicoeur, 54. Widely known as Trugoy the Dove, he was one of the founding members of the Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul. Feb. 12.
Raquel Welch, 82. Her emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film “One Million Years B.C.” propelled her to international sex symbol status in the 1960s and ’70s. Feb. 15.
Stella Stevens, 84. A prominent leading lady in 1960s and ’’70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis’s affection in “The Nutty Professor.” Feb. 17.
Richard Belzer, 78. The longtime stand-up comedian who became one of TV’s most indelible detectives as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Feb. 19.
MARCH
Joe Zucchero, 69. The founder of Mr. Beef, the Chicago sandwich joint that serves as the inspiration for FX show “The Bear,” had a daily routine: Wake up. Trim and slice beef. Serve happy customers sandwiches. March 1
Tom Sizemore, 61. The “Saving Private Ryan” actor whose bright 1990s star burned out under the weight of his own domestic violence and drug convictions. March 3.
Gary Rossington, 71. A co-founder and last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd who helped write the classic answer song “Sweet Home Alabama” and played unforgettable slide guitar on the rock anthem “Free Bird.” March 5.
Chaim Topol, 87. A leading Israeli actor who charmed generations of theatergoers and movie-watchers with his portrayal of Tevye, the long-suffering and charismatic milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof.” March 8.
Robert Blake, 89. The Emmy award-winning performer who went from acclaim for his acting to notoriety when he was tried and acquitted in the killing of his wife. March 9.
Lance Reddick, 60. A character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film, including “The Wire,” ″Fringe” and the “John Wick” franchise. March 17.
Fito Olivares, 75. A Tejano musician known for songs that were wedding and quinceanera mainstays, including the hit “Juana La Cubana.” March 17.
Darcelle XV, 92. The diva crowned the world’s oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records. March 23.
Bill Zehme, 64. The master of the celebrity profile, journalism’s “bastard stepchild” had a genius for making friends. The Chicagoan’s tomes included biographies of Frank Sinatra, Andy Kaufman and Jay Leno. March 26.
Paul O’Grady, 67. An entertainer who achieved fame as drag queen Lily Savage before becoming a much-loved comedian and host on British television. March 28.
APRIL
Michael Lerner, 81. The Brooklyn-born character actor played a myriad of imposing figures in his 60 years in the business, including monologuing movie mogul Jack Lipnick in “Barton Fink,” the crooked club owner Bugsy Calhoun in “Harlem Nights” and an angry publishing executive in “Elf.” April 8.
Al Jaffee, 102. Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.” April 10.
Mary Quant, 93. The visionary fashion designer whose colorful, sexy miniskirts epitomized Swinging London in the 1960s and influenced youth culture around the world. April 13.
Barry Humphries, 89. A Tony Award-winning comedian internationally renowned for his garish stage persona Dame Edna Everage, a condescending and imperfectly veiled snob whose evolving character delighted audiences over seven decades. April 22.
Len Goodman, 78. A long-serving judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing” who helped revive interest in ballroom dancing on both sides of the Atlantic. April 22.
Harry Belafonte, 96. The civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world. April 25.
Jerry Springer, 79. The onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show, based for a time in Chicago, featured dysfunctional guests willing to bare all — sometimes literally — as they brawled and hurled obscenities before a raucous audience. April 27.
MAY
Gordon Lightfoot, 84. The legendary folk singer-songwriter known for “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Sundown” and for songs that told tales of Canadian identity. May 1.
Grace Bumbry, 86. A pioneering mezzo-soprano who became the first Black singer to perform at Germany’s Bayreuth Festival during a more than three-decade career on the world’s top stages. May 7.
Rita Lee Jones, 75. Brazil’s million-selling “Queen of Rock” who gained an international following through her colorful and candid style and such hits as “Ovelha Negra,” “Mania de Você” and “Now Only Missing You.” May 8.
Jacklyn Zeman, 70. She played Bobbie Spencer for 45 years on ABC’s “General Hospital.” May 9.
Andy Rourke, 59. Bass guitarist of The Smiths, one of the most influential British bands of the 1980s. May 19.
Ray Stevenson, 58. The Irish actor who played the villainous British governor in “RRR,” an Asgardian warrior in the “Thor” films, and a member of the 13th Legion in HBO’s “Rome.” May 21.
Ed Ames, 95. The youngest member of the popular 1950s singing group the Ames Brothers, who later became a successful actor in television and musical theater. May 21.
Tina Turner, 83. The unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” May 24.
George Maharis, 94. A stage-trained actor with rough-hewn good looks who became an icon to American youth in the 1960s as he cruised the country in a Corvette convertible in the hit television series “Route 66.” May 24.
John Beasley, 79. The veteran character actor who played a kindly school bus driver on the TV drama “Everwood” and appeared in dozens of films dating back to the 1980s. May 30.
JUNE
George Winston, 73. The Grammy-winning pianist who blended jazz, classical, folk and other stylings on such million-selling albums as “Autumn,” “Winter Into Spring” and “December.” June 4.
Astrud Gilberto, 83. The Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose offhand, English-language cameo on “The Girl from Ipanema” made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova. June 5.
Treat Williams, 71. An actor whose nearly 50-year career included starring roles in the TV series “Everwood” and the movie “Hair.” June 12.
Glenda Jackson, 87. A two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career as a British lawmaker before an acclaimed late-life return to stage and screen. June 15.
Sheldon Harnick, 99. A Tony- and Grammy Award-winning lyricist who with composer Jerry Bock made up the premier musical-theater songwriting duo of the 1950s and 1960s with shows such as “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Fiorello!” and “The Apple Tree.” June 23.
Dick Biondi, 90. Chicago’s definitive voice of Top 40 radio was influential in advancing the careers of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others. Biondi was the first disc jockey to play the Beatles on American radio. June 26.
Alan Arkin, 89. The wry character actor and Second City performer who demonstrated his versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling drama, receiving four Academy Award nominations and winning an Oscar in 2007 for “Little Miss Sunshine.” June 29.
JULY
Doug Bragan, 79. The arts advocate loved Chicago theater so much he bought the Ivanhoe Theatre in 1982. July 8.
André Watts, 77. A pianist whose televised debut with the New York Philharmonic as a 16-year-old in 1963 launched an international career of more than a half-century. July 12.
Jane Birkin, 76. An actor and singer who made France her home and charmed the country with her English grace, natural style and social activism. She was the inspiration/namesake for the Hermès handbags. July 16.
Tony Bennett, 96. The eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. July 21.
Sinéad O’Connor, 56. The gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s was as much known for her private struggles and provocative actions as her fierce and expressive music. July 26.
Randy Meisner, 77. A founding member of the Eagles who added high harmonies to such favorites as “Take It Easy” and “The Best of My Love” and stepped out front for the waltz-time ballad “Take It to the Limit.” July 26.
Victor Parra, 87. The longtime host of the “Mambo Express” radio show on WBEZ-FM (91.5) shared his passion for Afro-Cuban jazz with thousands of listeners over a 30-plus-year career. July 26.
Paul Reubens, 70. The actor and comedian whose Pee-wee Herman character — an overgrown child with a tight gray suit and an unforgettable laugh — became a 1980s pop cultural phenomenon. July 30.
Angus Cloud, 25. The actor who starred as the drug dealer Fezco “Fez” O’Neill on the HBO series “Euphoria.” July 31.
AUGUST
Mark Margolis, 83. The Emmy-nominated actor who played murderous former drug kingpin Hector Salamanca in “Breaking Bad” and then in the prequel “Better Call Saul.” Aug. 3.
William Friedkin, 87. The Senn High School grad who became an Oscar-winning filmmaker in his 30s with the gripping “The French Connection” and the horrifying “The Exorcist” and struggled in the following decades to match his early success. Aug. 7.
Robbie Robertson, 80. The Band’s lead guitarist and songwriter who in such classics as “The Weight” and “Up on Cripple Creek” mined American music and folklore and helped reshape contemporary rock. Aug. 9.
Tom Jones, 95. The lyricist, director and writer of “The Fantasticks,” the longest-running musical in history. Aug. 11.
Jerry Moss, 88. A music industry giant who co-founded A&M Records with Herb Alpert and rose from a Los Angeles garage to the heights of success with hits by Alpert, the Police, the Carpenters and hundreds of other performers. Aug. 16.
Ron Cephas Jones, 66. A veteran stage actor who won two Emmy Awards for his role as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the NBC drama series “This Is Us.” Aug. 19.
Bob Barker, 99. The enduring, dapper game show host who became a household name over a half century of hosting “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right.” Aug. 26.
John Kezdy, 64. The Highland Park punk singer rocked hard with the Effigies, oversaw grand juries for the state attorney general’s office and survived the Highland Park Fourth of July parade massacre with a graze wound. Aug. 26.
SEPTEMBER
Jimmy Buffett, 76. The singer-songwriter who popularized beach-bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song “Margaritaville” and turned that celebration of loafing into a billion-dollar empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen concoctions. Sept. 1.
Steve Harwell, 56. The longtime frontman of the Grammy-nominated pop rock band Smash Mouth that was behind the megahit “All Star.” Sept. 4.
David McCallum, 90. The actor who became a teen heartthrob in the hit series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” in the 1960s and was the eccentric medical examiner in the popular “NCIS” 40 years later. Sept. 25.
Teri Bristol, 66. The Chicago DJ helped pave the way for women in the booth. “She broke down some pretty major barriers and pushed through that glass ceiling and marched to her own drummer,” said Joe Shanahan, founder of Smart Bar and Metro. Sept. 25.
Michael Gambon, 82. The Irish-born actor knighted for his storied career on the stage and screen who gained admiration from a new generation of moviegoers with his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight “Harry Potter” films. Sept. 28.
OCTOBER
Dick Butkus, 80. A Hall of Fame middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears whose speed and ferocity set the standards for the position in the modern era. A career in Hollywood included roles in “Brian’s Song,” “Necessary Roughness,” “Any Given Sunday” and on television series including “Hang Time,” “MacGyver,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Love Boat” and “The Bernie Mac Show.” Oct. 5.
Michael Chiarello, 61. A chef known for his Italian-inspired Californian restaurants who won an Emmy Award for best host for “Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello” and appeared on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef Masters.” Oct. 6.
Burt Young, 83. The Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie, the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” franchise. Oct. 8.
Mark Goddard, 87. An actor best known for playing Major Don West in the 1960s television show “Lost in Space.” Oct. 10.
Rudolph Isley, 84. A founding member of the Isley Brothers who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout” and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It’s Your Thing.” Oct. 11.
Piper Laurie, 91. The strong-willed, Oscar-nominated actor who performed in acclaimed roles despite at one point abandoning acting altogether in search of a “more meaningful” life. Oct. 14.
Suzanne Somers, 76. The effervescent blonde actor who played Chrissy Snow on the television show “Three’s Company” and later became an entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author. Oct. 15.
Harry Porterfield, 95. The beloved journalist and “Someone You Should Know” raconteur was the dean of Chicago news anchors when he signed off in 2015 with more than 50 years of experience in the news business. Oct. 23.
Richard Roundtree, 81. The trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s. Oct. 24.
Richard Moll, 80. A character actor who found lasting fame as an eccentric but gentle giant bailiff on the original “Night Court” sitcom. Oct. 26.
Matthew Perry, 54. The Emmy-nominated “Friends” actor whose sarcastic but lovable Chandler Bing was among television’s most famous and quotable characters. Oct. 28.
NOVEMBER
George “Funky” Brown, 74. The co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool & The Gang who helped write such hits as “Too Hot,” “Ladies Night,” “Joanna” and the party favorite “Celebration.” Nov. 16.
Marty Krofft, 86. A TV producer known for imaginative children’s shows such as “H.R. Pufnstuf” and primetime hits including “Donny & Marie” in the 1970s. Nov. 25.
Willie ‘The Touch’ Hayes, 73. The Chicago blues drummer played with B.B. King, the Temptations and Muddy Waters, among others. Nov. 5.
Frances Sternhagen, 93. The veteran character actor who won two Tony Awards and became a familiar maternal face to TV viewers later in life in such shows as “Cheers,” “ER,” “Sex and the City” and “The Closer.” Nov. 27.
Shane MacGowan, 65. The singer-songwriter and frontman of “Celtic Punk” band The Pogues, best known for the Christmas ballad “Fairytale of New York.” Nov. 30.
DECEMBER
Norman Lear, 101. The writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime-time television with “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once insulated world of TV sitcoms. Dec. 5.
Ryan O’Neal, 82. The heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in “Love Story” and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in “Paper Moon.” Dec. 8.
Andre Braugher, 61. The Emmy-winning actor who would master gritty drama for seven seasons on “Homicide: Life on The Street” and modern comedy for eight on “Brooklyn 99.” Dec. 11.
Mike Nussbaum, 99. The veteran Chicago stage actor was best-known for critically acclaimed roles in David Mamet’s “American Buffalo” and “Glengarry Glen Ross” at the Goodman Theatre, and film appearances in “Men in Black” and “Field of Dreams.” Dec. 23.
Lee Sun-kyun, 48. The actor starred in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite.” He was found dead at a car in a park in central Seoul, South Korea. Dec. 26.
Tom Smothers, 86. One-half of the Smothers Brothers comedy duo with his brother Dick Smothers, he was also co-host of their TV series in the late 1960s — one of the most socially conscious and groundbreaking television shows in the history of the medium. Dec. 26.
Contributing: Sun-Times reporter Miriam Di Nunzio
