Famous people who died in 2016
The Associated Press
The following is a partial list of the many celebrity deaths from 2016 with a brief summation of their life.
JANUARY: Pierre Boulez, 90. Former principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic, one of the leading figures in modern classical music. Jan. 5.
David Bowie, 69. Other-worldly musician who broke pop and rock boundaries with his creative musicianship and a genrespanning persona he christened Ziggy Stardust. Jan. 10.
Alan Rickman, 69. Classically-trained British stage star and sensual screen villain in the “Harry Potter” saga and other films. Jan. 14.
Glenn Frey, 67. Rock ‘n’ roll rebel who cofounded the Eagles and with Don Henley formed one of history’s most successful songwriting teams with such hits as “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane.” had several solo hits including “You Belong to the City” and “The Heat Is On”, Jan. 18.
Abe Vigoda, 94. Actor whose leathery, sad-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series “Barney Miller” and the doomed Mafia soldier in “The Godfather.” Jan. 26.
FEBRUARY: Maurice White, 74. Earth, Wind & Fire founder whose horn-driven band sold more than 90 million albums. Feb. 3.
Antonin Scalia, 79. Influential conservative and most provocative member of the Supreme Court. Feb. 13.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 93. Egyptian diplomat who helped negotiate his country’s landmark peace deal with Israel but clashed with the United States as U.N. secretary-general. Feb. 16.
Harper Lee, 89. Elusive novelist whose child’s-eye view of racial injustice in a small Southern town, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” became an Oscar-winning film. Feb. 19.
MARCH: Nancy Reagan, 94. Backstage adviser and fierce protector of Ronald Reagan in his journey from actor to president — and finally during his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. March 6.
George Martin, 90, legendary Beatles producer who famously played the piano solo on “In My Life”, he worked with many other artists including Elton John, producing “Candle in the Wind 1997,” March 8.
Rob Ford, 46. Pugnacious, populist former mayor of Toronto whose career crashed in a drug-driven, obscenity-laced debacle. March 22. Cancer.
Phife Dawg, 45. Lyricist whose witty wordplay was a linchpin of the groundbreaking hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. March 22. Complications from diabetes.
Garry Shandling, 66. Actor and comedian who masterminded a brand of phoney docudrama with “The Larry Sanders Show.” March 24.
Patty Duke, 69. As a teen, she won an Oscar for playing Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker,” then maintained a long career while battling personal demons. March 29.
APRIL: Merle Haggard, 79. Country giant who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws and underdogs. April 6.
Doris Roberts, 90, five-time Emmy Award winning actress best known as playing the title character’s mother in “Everybody Loves Raymond,” as well as the 1979 film “The Rose” with Bette Midler, April 17.
Dwayne “Pearl” Washington, 52. Basketball player who went from New York City playground wonder to Big East star at Syracuse. April 20.
Prince, 57. One of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times with hits including “Little Red Corvette,” “Let’s Go Crazy” and “When Doves Cry.” April 21.
MAY: Tommy Kono, 85. He took up weightlifting in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans and went on to win two Olympic gold medals for the United States. May 1.
Morley Safer, 84. Veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent who exposed a military atrocity in Vietnam that played an early role in changing Americans’ view of the war. May 19.
Rosalie Chris Lerman, 90. Survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp who was a passionate advocate of Holocaust remembrance. May 19.
JUNE: Muhammad Ali, 74. Heavyweight champion whose fast fists, irrepressible personality and determined spirit transcended sports and captivated the world. June 3.
Bobby Curtola, 73, Ontario-born teen idol who scored such hits as “Fortuneteller”, “Indian Giver” and “Three Rows Over”, June 4.
Gordie Howe, 88. Known as “Mr. Hockey,” the Canadian farm boy whose blend of talent and toughness made him the NHL’s quintessential star. June 10.
Anton Yelchin, 27. Rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new “Star Trek” films. June 19. Hit by his car in his driveway.
Pat Summitt, 64. Winningest coach in Division I college basketball history who lifted the women’s game from obscurity to national prominence during her 38-year career at Tennessee. June 28.
JULY: Elie Wiesel, 87. Romanian-born Holocaust survivor whose classic “Night” launched his career as one of the world’s foremost witnesses and humanitarians. July 2.
Clown Dimitri, 80. Beloved Swiss clown and mime who studied under Marcel Marceau. July 19.
Rev. Tim LaHaye, 90. Co-author of the “Left Behind” series, a literary juggernaut that brought end-times prophecy into mainstream bookstores. July 25.
AUGUST: John McLaughlin, 89. Conservative political commentator and host of a television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of politics. Aug. 16.
Gene Wilder, 83. Frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in “The Producers.” Aug. 28.
Vera Caslavska, 74. Seven-time Olympic gymnastics gold medallist who stood up against the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Aug. 30.
SEPTEMBER: Phyllis Schlafly, 92. Outspoken conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Sept. 5.
Rose Mofford, 94. Arizona’s first female governor and a shepherd for the state during a period of political turbulence. Sept. 15.
Arnold Palmer, 87. Golfing great who brought a country-club sport to the masses with a hard-charging style, charisma and a commoner’s touch. Sept. 25.
Shimon Peres, 93. Former Israeli president and prime minister whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace. Sept. 28.
OCTOBER: King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88. World’s longest reigning monarch, he was revered in Thailand as a demigod, a humble father figure and an anchor of stability through decades of upheaval. Oct. 13.
Junko Tabei, 77. The first woman to climb Mount Everest. Oct. 20.
Tom Hayden, 76. 1960s antiwar activist whose name became forever linked with the Chicago 7 trial, Vietnam War protests and his ex-wife, actress Jane Fonda. Oct. 23.
NOVEMBER: Janet Reno, 78. First woman to serve as U.S. attorney general and the centre of several political storms during the Clinton administration. Nov. 7.
Leonard Cohen, 82. Canadian singer-songwriter who blended spirituality and sexuality in songs like “Hallelujah,” “Suzanne” and “Bird on a Wire.” Nov. 7.
Florence Henderson, 82. Broadway star who became one of America’s most beloved television moms in “The Brady Bunch,” former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant and Wesson Oil pitch-woman, Nov. 24.
Fidel Castro, 90. He led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and challenged U.S. power during his half-century of rule in Cuba. Nov. 25.
DECEMBER: Jayaram Jayalalithaa, 68. South Indian actress who turned to politics and became the highest elected official in the state of Tamil Nadu. Dec. 4.
John Glenn, 95. His 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth made him an all-American hero and propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate. Dec. 8.
Alan Thicke, 69. Versatile performer who gained his greatest renown as the beloved dad on “Growing Pains,” Dec. 13.
George Michael, 53, British pop star who scored No. 1 hits with “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Faith,” “Father Figure,” “Praying for Time” and more, Dec. 25.