As 2023 waits in the wings to make its grand debut, it’s time to stop and take a look back at 2022. The past 12 months have been filled with news and, sadly, we’ve lost many celebrities and newsmakers in 2022. Here is our overview of the singers, actors, politicians, athletes and other notorious people who died this year.
1. Sidney Poitier
Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar for best actor, died on Jan. 7 at the age of 94. He was known for his roles in “Lillies of the Field,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “To Sir, With Love” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
2. Bob Saget
The world was shocked to hear of Bob Saget’s death on Jan. 9. The “Full House” actor and comedian was found in his Florida hotel room after he missed his flight following a stand-up comedy performance the night before.
3. Louie Anderson
Comedian Louie Anderson died on Jan. 21 while being treated for cancer in a Las Vegas hospital. He was 68 years old. Anderson won an Emmy in 2016 for his work on the FX series “Baskets”
3. Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf, the actor and dramatic rock singer of “I Would Do Anything For Love,” “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” and other hits, died on Jan. 20. He was 74 years old, and no cause of death was released by the family.
4. William Hurt
Oscar-winning actor William Hurt died on March 14 following a battle with cancer. He was known for his roles in “The Big Chill,” “Broadcast News,” “Body Heat” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” He was 71 years old.
5. Madeleine Albright
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright died of cancer at the age of 84 on March 23. She served as a UN ambassador starting in 1993, and then-President Bill Clinton asked her to serve in his cabinet in 1996.
6. Estelle Harris
Actor Estelle Harris, known for her work on “Seinfeld,” “Toy Story” and many other roles, died on April 4 at the age of 93.
7. Gilbert Gottfried
Stand-up comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried died on April 12 after being diagnosed with a rare genetic muscle disease. He was 67. Gottfried was widely known for his voice work on various animated shows and movies, including Disney’s “Aladdin.”
8. Naomi Judd
Country music star Naomi Judd died unexpectedly on April 30. The Grammy-award-winning singer was half of the superstar duo The Judds along with her daughter Wynonna. Judd was 76 at the time of her death.
9. Ray Liotta
Actor Ray Liotta died on May 26 at the age of 67. He was famous for his roles in “Goodfellas” and “Field of Dreams.”
10. James Caan
Iconic tough guy actor James Caan died on July 7 at the age of 82. Caan had starring roles in “The Godfather,” “Las Vegas,” “Brian’s Song,” “Misery” and “Elf,” just to name a few of his memorable performances.
11. Bill Russell
NBA legend Bill Russell died on July 31 at the age of 88. Russell won 11 NBA championships, played for the Boston Celtics, and became the nation’s first Black head coach in the NBA in 1966. In an unprecedented move, the NBA retired his No. 6 jersey across the entire league following his death.
12. Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols died on July 31 at the age of 89. She played Lt. Nyota Uhura in the original “Star Trek” TV series from 1966-1969 and in subsequent franchise feature films.
13. Olivia Newton-John
Australian singer and actor Olivia Newton-John died on Aug. 8 at the age of 73. She publicly battled breast cancer for years. She was best known for her starring role as Sandy in the movie musical “Grease” and had many hit songs during her career.
14. Anne Heche
Actor Anne Heche died on Aug. 12 at the age of 53 following a car accident. She won an Emmy award for her work on the soap opera “Another World,” and she starred in films with Harrison Ford, Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.
15. Queen Elizabeth II
Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96 on Sept. 8. She served more than 70 years on the throne, and long lines of mourners filled the streets during Britain’s mourning period leading up to her funeral.
16. Coolio
Rapper Coolio died on Sept. 28 at the age of 59. He won a Grammy for his song “Gangsta’s Paradise” in 1996.
17. Loretta Lynn
Country music legend and trailblazer Loretta Lynn died on Oct. 4 at the age of 90. Her story was immortalized in the 1980 Oscar-winning film “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and her work inspired countless country artists after her.
18. Angela Lansbury
“Murder, She Wrote” star Angela Lansbury died on Oct. 11 at the age of 96. In addition to her role in “Murder, She Wrote,” Lansbury voiced Mrs. Potts in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” won five Tony awards for her work on Broadway and was featured in many featured films.
19. Jerry Lee Lewis
One of the original rock and roll artists, Jerry Lee Lewis died on Oct. 28 at the age of 87. His wild performance style of songs like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire” paved the way for rock artists through the decades.
20. Christine McVie
Fleetwood Mac keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie died on Nov. 30 at the age of 79. She recently had been diagnosed with an illness, according to her family, but they provided no other specific information about the singer’s death.
21. Kirstie Alley
Actor Kirstie Alley died on Dec. 7 after a recent cancer diagnosis, according to her family. She was 71. During her career, Alley was known for her work on the popular TV series “Cheers” and “Veronica’s Closet.” She also starred opposite John Travolta in the “Look Who’s Talking” movies.
22. Pelé
Brazil’s beloved king of soccer, Pelé died on Dec. 29 following treatment for colon cancer. He was 82. The three-time World Cup winner was a global icon whose style, grace and precision on the field inspired generations and still makes him a frontrunner in conversations about the greatest players of all time.
By Marie Rossiter, for Newsy.
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