2024 started with the sad news of these celebrities passing away.
OJ Simpson has passed away. Some died tragically and too early, while others had long and full lives.
Read on to find out which stars have left us in 2024.
Toby Keith: 62 Years Old
Country music star Toby Keith passed away at the age of 62 following a fight with stomach cancer. He is survived by his wife, Tricia, and his three children, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen, as confirmed by his publicist to CNN. Additionally, his mother and two siblings continue to live on after him.
In September 2023, Keith took the stage at the People’s Choice Country Awards, where he was honored with the Country Icon Award. Throughout his career, Keith dedicated his talent to performing hundreds of shows for US military personnel stationed overseas, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also performed at events for Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush.
Glynis Johns: 100 Years Old
The famous British actress known for playing Mrs. Banks in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” from 1964, has died peacefully at 100 years old. She passed away in early January 2024 at a care home in Los Angeles, where she lived for the last few years. Glynis is survived by her grandson Thomas and three great-grandchildren. Her spokesperson, Clem, confirmed this.
The exact reason why she died is still unknown, but Glynis Johns had an amazing career that lasted almost 90 years. Besides her movie achievements, she also had a lively personal life, including being married four times, as many stories have mentioned. Glynis, who won a Tony Award and acted in movies like “Hostile Hostages,” “Miranda,” and “The Court Jester,” lived longer than all four of her husbands and her only son, Gareth, who died in 2007.
Bill Hayes: 98 Years Old
Famous for playing alongside his real wife, Susan, in “Days of Our Lives,” soap opera star Bill Hayes has died.
His death was confirmed by his agent to TMZ, happening in Los Angeles. The cause of his death hasn’t been shared.
In 1970, Hayes got the part of Doug Williams on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives.” Doug was a singer who liked to pull scams. Susan Seaforth was already on the show, playing Julie Olsen Banning Anderson Williams, a rich heiress.
Hayes and Seaforth’s chemistry on the show turned into a real romance, and they got married on October 12, 1974. Interestingly, they also got married on the show three different times!
Carl Weathers: 76 Years Old
Weathers, famous for playing Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies with Sylvester Stallone, has died at 76. He had a long career with many memorable roles, including in the action movie “Predator” in 1987, and the comedy “Happy Gilmore” with Adam Sandler. He was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his guest role in “The Mandalorian,” part of the “Star Wars” series.
After the “Rocky” series, Weathers had a disagreement with Stallone about using old clips of Apollo Creed in the sixth movie, “Rocky Balboa,” from 2006. Weathers wanted to come back in a new way since his character died in “Rocky IV.” But Stallone chose to use a lookalike actor for flashbacks instead.
Chita Rivera: 91 Years Old
Rivera, a famous star of Broadway for more than 70 years, has died at 91. “With great sadness, I share that the wonderful Broadway star Chita Rivera has passed away. She was my dear friend for over 40 years and was 91,” said her spokesperson, Merle Frimark.
Her daughter, Lisa Mordente, said that Rivera died in New York after being sick for a short time. Rivera had a remarkable career on Broadway starting in 1950, playing 30 different roles in shows like West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Merlin, and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
She was also famous for being the first Velma Kelly in the 1975 Broadway show Chicago.
Alec Musser: 50 Years Old
Actor Alec Musser, who played Del Henry on “All My Children,” has died at 50. TMZ reported that Musser passed away at his home in Del Mar, California, according to his fiancée, Paige Press. The reason for his death hasn’t been shared. Musser was in 43 episodes of the long-running soap opera from 2005 to 2007.
Paige Press shared her sadness on Instagram, saying, “My heart is so broken … Today is the worst day of my life. We were so happy.” She also mentioned, “I am never taking off my ring.” The couple, who had been together for over six years, got engaged last year.
Adan Canto: 42 Years Old
The actor, who moved from a music career in Mexico to become a star in Hollywood, died in January from appendiceal cancer, a fight he kept private. He was just 42 years old. Famous for his work in “The Cleaning Lady” and “Designated Survivor,” Canto’s teams at UTA, Entertainment360, and Viewpoint said, “Adan had a deep soul that not many people saw. But those who did were deeply affected. He will be deeply missed by many.”
Canto is survived by his wife, Stephanie Ann Canto, and their two young children, Roman Alder (3½) and Eve Josephine (1½).
David Soul: 80 Years Old
David Soul, famous for his role in “Starsky & Hutch,” has died at 80. The reason for his death wasn’t shared. David Soul had a varied career as both an actor and a singer. He was married five times and went through a tough period in the 1980s when he was arrested for attacking his then-wife, Patti Carnel Sherman, who was pregnant.
This was his first offense, and the charges were dropped after he joined a program for probation. Soul later said he was sorry for what he did and made efforts to change. He worked to prevent domestic violence, even talking to prisoners about stopping the cycle of violence.
David Gail: 58 Years Old
David Gail was famous for his role on Beverly Hills, 90210, which he starred in as Stuart Carson, the fiance of Shannen Doherty’s character, Brenda Walsh. He passed away on January 16th at aged just 58 from a specific type of brain injury caused by a lack of blood. It resulted from resuscitation from a heart attack caused by a drug overdose.
His mother shared, “It breaks my heart to learn that my son died this way. David became reliant on medicine many years ago, after multiple surgeries on his hands and wrists. He lived in enough pain to prevent him from working.” She mentioned that she hoped her son’s death would bring attention to the dangers of the fentanyl epidemic gripping the United States.
Charles Osgood: 91 Years Old
Famous CBS journalist Charles Osgood has died at 91 at his home in New Jersey. Osgood, known for his unique way of telling stories on the radio with rhyme and humor, passed away from dementia, his family said.
From 1994 to 2016, Osgood was the main host of the “CBS Sunday Morning” show on CBS. He also hosted a daily news commentary called “The Osgood File” on CBS News Radio for many years.
Osgood believed TV was important for sharing and connecting with what people love, not just for getting high ratings.
Bernard Hill- 79 Years Old
Bernard Hill, the esteemed actor most known for his role as King Théoden in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, passed away at age 79 in May 2024. His death was mourned by co-stars and fans alike during a touching tribute at Comic Con in Liverpool. Notably, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, and Sean Astin—known for their roles as the hobbits—shared heartfelt memories of Hill, describing him as “funny, gruff, beautiful,” and a vital part of their film family.
Hill, who had been scheduled to appear at the event, was remembered onstage by his colleagues and friends for his unique ability to bring Tolkien’s words to life. Hill’s significant roles spanned from his portrayal of Captain Edward Smith in “Titanic” to Yosser Hughes in the BBC drama “Boys from the Blackstuff.”