THE WORLD LOST some of its most famous names this year. We’ve already remembered the Irish people who have died, so now it’s time to look at the rest of the world.
From well-known movie stars, to singers and musicians, to politicians and others, here are some of the well-known people who died this year.
The year began with the death of actress Glynis John, most known for her role as Mrs Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins. The Tony-award winning actress died at the age of 100.
As well as Glynis John, the death also occurred of Starsky and Hutch actor David Soul, who passed away at the age of 80. He was best known for his role as Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the classic crime-solving series.
Former lobbyist and political adviser Derek Draper, who was married to TV presenter Kate Garraway, died aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from Covid-19. Veteran broadcaster Annie Nightingale, who was the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1, died at the age of 83.
A number of well-known former sport stars died in January this year also. Brazil’s Mario Zagallo, the first person to win the FIFA World Cup as both a player and coach, died at the age of 92. German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer also died at the age of 78.
February began with news of the death of Carl Weathers, the famous action movie star, most notable for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky films. He was 76.
Later in the month, the marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach died in an accident in Kenya. Kiptum, 24, set a new world record of two hours and 35 seconds at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023.
Meanwhile, Coronation Street actor John Savident died at the age of 86. Savident was known for his booming voice while playing butcher Fred Elliott on the ITV soap. US comedian and actor Richard Lewis – known for his role in sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm – also died in February, at the age of 76.
Dave Myers, one half of cooking duo The Hairy Bikers, died at the age of 66.
Cockney Rebel frontman Steve Harley died “peacefully at home” at the age of 73 in March.
The English musician rose to prominence in the 1970s with the rock band, best known for their hit Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me), and also performed on the title track for Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical Phantom Of The Opera.
Louis Gossett Jr, the first black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV series Roots, died aged 87.
Success found Gossett from an early age and propelled him forward, towards his Academy Award for An Officer And A Gentleman.
April began with the announcement of the death of Chris Cross, the singer of group Ultravox. Cross, real name Chris Allen, died aged 71 and was a part of the original line-up of the electronic pop group along with Midge Ure, Warren Cann and Billy Currie.
The ‘truly gifted scientist’ behind the concept of the subatomic particle the Higgs boson, Professor Peter Higgs, also died in April aged 94.
Professor Higgs predicted of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – in 1964.
In May, Morgan Spurlock, the director of the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, died at the age of 53.
Super Size Me, which was directed, written and produced by Spurlock, was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary feature.
PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray died at the young age of 30 later in the month.
Former astronaut William Anders died aged 90. Retired Major General Anders took what became the famous Earthrise picture showing the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space while on board Apollo 8 in 1968.
DJ and producer Paul Spencer, who was known for songs including Carnaval De Paris, Sunchyme and Ring Of Fire, died following a battle with cancer. Dario G was 53.
Well-known actor Donald Sutherland, who starred in Kelly’s Heroes and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, died at the age of 88.
Television star Martin Mull, best known for his roles in hit comedy series Arrested Development, Roseanne and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, also died after an unknown illness, his family said.
On 11 July Shelley Duvall, who played Wendy Torrance in the 1980 Stanley Kubrick movie The Shining, died aged 75.
Duvall also appeared in movies such as Thieves Like Us, Nashville, Popeye, Three Women and McCabe & Ms Miller.
Duvall’s death was followed by another well-known actress, Shannen Doherty, at the age of 53. Doherty was known for her roles in Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed.
Six-time world snooker champion Ray Reardon died at the age of 91.
August saw the death of former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who died at the age of 76. Eriksson managed England for five years before leaving after the 2006 World Cup.
US actor James Earl Jones died at the age of 93. While he acted in a number of notable stage roles, Earl Jones was most widely known as the voice of Darth Vader, the villain of the original Star Wars trilogy.
September also saw the death of Tito Jackson, a former member of the Jackson 5 and older brother of the late pop star Michael Jackson.
Former Italian footballer Toto Schillaci died later in the month, at the age of 59. The Italian footballer, who infamously broke Irish hearts in the 1990 World Cup quarter final, had been battling colon cancer since 2022.
Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning British actress best known for her roles in Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter films, died at the age of 89. A giant of stage and screen, Smith’s career spanned decades and names from across the world paid tribute to her, calling her “a true legend”.
The month ended with the death of legendary singer and actor Kris Kristofferson, who passed away at the age of 88. He was praised for leaving a “resounding legacy” in country music. Kristofferson was also known to have supported Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor when she was booed off stage during the Bob Dylan anniversary concert following her SNL appearance, where she tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II.
Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland, died in early October. Salmond was a prominent figure in the Scottish nationalist movement, serving as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) on two occasions – from 1990 to 2000 and 2004 to 2014.
During his second term as leader, he used his mandate to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014. He resigned as SNP leader after the vote was narrowly defeated.
Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late US senator Robert F Kennedy, died aged 96.
In a statement, her grandson and US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, said: “It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother, Ethel Kennedy.”
October also saw the death of singer and former member of boyband One Direction Liam Payne, who died aged 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina.
Payne rose to fame as part of boyband One Direction, which was formed on UK talent show The X Factor in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles.
Phil Lesh, a founding member of the US rock band Grateful Dead, died at the age of 84.
In early November, Quincy Jones, the US music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller album to collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died aged 91.
Bestselling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford, who wrote A Woman Of Substance, died at the age of 91.
She wrote a total of 40 novels during her career, with her most recent, The Wonder of It All, published last year.
The world’s oldest man, John Tinniswood, died aged 112 in late November. Tinniswood had previously told Guinness World Records that there was no secret to his long life, and he didn’t follow a particular diet – although he did enjoy a portion of battered fish and chips every Friday.
Former US president Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100 on 29 December. He served one term in the Oval Office from 1977 to 1981 before going on to work as an elections monitor and lobby for health campaigns via the Carter Center, which he founded in 1982.
He was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless efforts to promote social and economic justice.
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