Celebrities we lost in 2018
Penny Marshall died of complications from diabetes at her home in California on Dec. 18. She was 75. Penny was a force in Hollywood after becoming a household name thanks to her work on "Laverne & Shirley." She later became a respected director, leading films such as "Big" and "A League of Their Own." Burt Reynolds, 82, died on Sept. 6 at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, his manager confirmed to multiple media outlets. TMZ reported that the charismatic college athleteturned-actor known for his smoldering sex appeal and popular films including "Deliverance," "Smokey and the Bandit," "Cannonball Run" and "Boogie Nights" was rushed to the hospital after going into cardiac arrest.
President George H. W. Bush died on Nov. 30 at age 94. Before he was the 41st president of the United States, he was a World War II naval aviator, a Texas oilman, U.S. congressman, ambassador to the United Nations and, in the '80s, the vice president of the country under President Ronald Reagan. The Republican -- who was the longest lived U.S. president in history -- passed away seven months after his beloved wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush.
On June 8 at age 61, Anthony Bourdain -- the star of CNN's "Parts Unknown" -- took his own life in his hotel room in the French village of Kaysersberg, leaving fans around the world heartbroken. The beloved TV host, author and chef had become a personal hero to many who dreamed of traveling the globe, trying new foods and living a life somewhere off the beaten path.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin -- one of the most respected and celebrated musical artists of all time -- died on Aug. 16 at her home in Detroit, where she was receiving hospice care in the final days of a long battle with advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type. She was 76.
Rapper Mac Miller was found dead at his home in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley around noon on Sept. 7. He was 26. TMZ reported that Mac (real name: Malcolm McCormick) died from an accidental overdose. The coroner's office later confirmed that the musician died from mixed drug toxicity -- a lethal mix of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol.
On Dec. 4 -- just two months after "America's Next Top Model" Season 8 contestant Jael Strauss was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 breast cancer -- she died from the disease. She was 34.
Actor Ken Berry -- who's best known for his work on "The Andy Griffith Show" and spin-off "Mayberry, R.F.D." as well as "F Troop" and "Mama's Family" (pictured) -- died on Dec. 1 at age 85 following a series of heart issues, his ex-wife, actress Jackie Joseph-Lawrence, confirmed to TMZ. Oscar-winning director and writer Bernardo
Bertolucci, the man behind classics such as "The Last Emperor" and "Last Tango in Paris," died at his home in Rome on Nov. 26 following a cancer battle. He was 77.
LFO member Devin Lima died on Nov. 21 following a yearlong battle with Stage 4 cancer, TMZ reported. He was 41. In 2017, doctors discovered a football-sized tumor on the singer's adrenal gland.
Kim Porter, a former model and mother of four -- she had one child with R&B singer Al B. Sure and three with music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, with whom she was still close -was found dead in her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Toluca Lake, California, on Nov. 15. She was 47.
Stan Lee passed away at age of 95 on Nov. 12. The acclaimed Marvel comic book writer and creator behind SpiderMan, The Avengers and more was brought by ambulance from his home to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he later died.
Actress Sondra Locke passed away in Los Angeles on Nov. 3 after going into cardiac arrest stemming from bone and breast cancer. She was 74.
Master magician, writer and actor Ricky Jay died in Los Angeles of natural causes on Nov. 24, his manager confirmed to Variety. The 72-year-old was perhaps best known for his work in "Deadwood," "Boogie Nights" and "Tomorrow Never Dies" and as the narrator in "Magnolia."
Irish musician Dolores O'Riordan, best known as the frontwoman of the indie rock band the Cranberries, was found dead in her London hotel room on Jan. 15. The 46-year-old singer was in the UK to record a cover of her hit 1994 song "Zombie."
"Glee" star Mark Salling took his own life on Jan. 30 at age 35. At the time of his death, the troubled actor was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. Mark hung himself near a secluded riverbed not far from his Los Angeles-area home.