Celebrities Lost In 2024: 10 Greats Who Died

CALIFORNIA — In 2024, we lost icons, trailblazers and household names. They entertained generations, conquered industries, and changed the way we see the world for better and for the worse.

In 2024, we said goodbye to veteran actor James Earl Jones, the deep voice behind Darth Vader in "Star Wars", Mufasa in "Lion King", Thusla Doom in "Conan The Barbarian" and many more films over his six-decade career. Then news broke that "The Shining" star Shelly Duvall, whose memorable look and sound made her a darling of indelible film classics, died as well.

Plenty of renowned musicians also passed: Quincy Jones, Phil Lesh, Paul Di'Anno and then Liam Payne, who was only 31. Influential artists Carl Weathers, Dexter King, Melanie Safka, Richard Lewis, Glynis Johns and Donald Sutherland also died in 2024.

Here are 10 celebrities we bid adieu to in 2024.

1. Richard Simmons

Workout guru Richard Simmons died at his home in Los Angeles this July at age 76, leaving behind scores of adoring fans who loved his early 1980s workout show, weight-loss programs and later his aerobic video series, "Sweatin' to the Oldies."

2. David Soul

"Starsky & Hutch" star David Soul died at the very beginning of the year on Jan. 4 at age 80. Soul, who catapulted to notoriety playing "Hutch" in the 1970s was also a singer-songwriter who was known for songs like "Silver Lady" and "Don't Give up on us."

Soul also starred in hit film "Magnum Force" (1973) with Clint Eastwood, and horror film "Salem's Lot" (1979), which was adapted from Stephen King's book.

3. Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones, who died at 91 on Nov. 4 enjoyed a vast legacy as one of the first Black Hollywood executives to flourish in the music industry. The musician worked with Michael Jackson to produce his "Thriller" album and collaborated with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and scores more.

Also known for his film and television scores, Jones was slated to receive an honorary Academy Award just weeks before he died. Lionel Richie once hailed Quincy Jones as "the master orchestrator," a fitting title given that there was a time when it was nearly impossible to find a record collection without his influence or credits on many LPs.

4. Phil Lesh

Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh died on Oct. 25 at age 84. He was the oldest and one of the last living founders of the San Francisco acid rock band, which has a fan base that remains as large as ever.

Lesh was a classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter until he turned to the bass guitar, forever changing the role of the instrument in rock music.

5. James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones was long celebrated for the deep and booming voice that he lent to Darth Vader, the Mufasa in "The Lion King" and many more acclaimed roles. Jones died on Sept. 9 at age 93.

Jones faced many obstacles in his nearly six decades in the film industry as he began with a severe stutter and contended with racial prejudice. In 1965, he became one of the first Black actors to hold a continuing role on a daytime television show, "As the World Turns."

He worked well into his 80s, garnering an honorary Oscar, two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.

6. Maggie Smith

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Millennial or even a Zoomer who didn't grow up knowing who Professor McGonnigal was. It was British actor Maggie Smith who took on that role, but her career spans nearly 60 years, back to when she won an Oscar for the 1969 film "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie."

She later dryly quipped that the "Harry Potter" series was her pension while lamenting about her "granny-era" roles.

Smith also gained a slew of new fans in recent memory while playing the dowager Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey."

“Not until ‘Downton Abbey’ was I well-known or stopped in the street and asked for one of those terrible photographs,” she said.

Smith died on Sept. 27 at age 89.

7. Liam Payne

Liam Payne was one of the founding members of One Direction, among the most successful boy bands in recent history. Payne, 31, died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires in October. Like his former bandmates, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, Payne pursued a solo career.

8. Shelly Duvall

Shelly Duvall, the wide-eyed star of "The Shining," died on July 11 this year at age 75. While Duval retreated from the limelight in the 1990s, she was a household name in the 1970s, appearing in films "Thieves Like Us," "Nashville," "Popeye," "Three Women" and "McCabe & Mrs. Miller."

Duvall died in her sleep at home in Blanco, Texas, her partner Dan Gilroy announced.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night,” Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”

9. O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson was a polarizing figure who remained shrouded in controversy until the day he died on April 16 at age 76. Known by his nickname "The Juice," Simpson was an actor and an American professional football player, who played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills.

But his reputation and life took an irreversible turn on June 17, 1994, when prosecutors ordered Simpson to surrender after the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman. Instead, Simpson fled in his white Ford Bronco.

10. Phil Donahue

Pioneering daytime talk show Phil Donahue died on Aug. 19 at age 88.

Dubbed "the king of daytime talk," Donahue was the first to incorporate audience participation in a talk show, typically during a full hour with a single guest.

“Just one guest per show? No band?” he remembered being routinely asked in his 1979 memoir, “Donahue, My Own Story.”