James Garner brought life to two great TV characters: Bret Maverick of “Maverick” and Jim Rockford of “The Rockford Files.” We remember Garner’s life today as well as the lives of other notable people who died this day in history.
Discover notable people born this day in history including politician George McGovern.
2019: Rutger Hauer,Dutch actor who starred in the science fiction cult classic “Blade Runner,” dies at 75.
2018
2016
Garry Marshall, U.S. writer, director, and producer who created “Happy Days” and “Laverne and Shirley,” is born in The Bronx, New York. “Happy Days” was Marshall’s breakout hit, his first successful solo project after years of writing for popular television shows including “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Lucy Show.” His creation, a gently silly story of idealized teen life in the 1950s and ’60s, traded on nostalgia for 11 seasons and was among the top-three rated shows for three of those seasons. Read more
2014
Skye McCole Bartusiak, U.S. actress known best for her performance in “The Patriot,” dies of an accidental drug overdose at 21. Bartusiak made her acting debut on the television miniseries “Storm of the Century” in 1999 and also had a role on “24” in 2002-2003. She made her film debut in the “The Cider House Rules” in 1999 and starred with Michael Douglas in “Don’t Say a Word” in 2001. Her most recent movie was “Sick Boy” in 2012. Bartusiak was known best for her role in Gibson’s Revolutionary War epic, “The Patriot,” where she played the daughter of militia leader Benjamin Martin who struggles to speak with her father. Read more
2013
Poncie Ponce, U.S. actor known best for his starring role as cab driver Kazuo Kim on the detective series “Hawaiian Eye,” dies of heart failure at 80.
2012
Tom Davis, U.S. comedian and writer known best for his partnership with Al Franken in the comedy duo Franken and Davis that was featured on “Saturday Night Live,” dies of throat and neck cancer at 59. Davis is known best as the thinner, taller partner in Franken and Davis, the off-kilter comedy duo who performed in the early years of the show, according to his obituary by The Associated Press. They also were among the first writers hired for the new show in 1975 and helped create memorable work such as the “Coneheads” skit with Dan Aykroyd and what evolved into the “Nick the Lounge Singer” skit starring Bill Murray performing lounge-lizard versions of songs including the “Star Wars” theme. Read more
2009
Frank McCourt, U.S. author and teacher known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, “Angela’s Ashes,” dies of melanoma at 78. “Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood,” was McCourt’s unforgettable opening, noted his obituary by The Associated Press. “People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty, the shiftless loquacious father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests, bullying schoolmasters; the English and all the terrible things they did to us for 800 long years.” Read more
2006
2005
Edward Bunker, U.S. author, screenwriter, and actor who co-wrote the screenplay for the movie “Runaway Train” and whose acting appearances included “Reservoir Dogs,” dies at 71.
2002
Dave Carter, U.S. folk singer-songwriter known best for being one-half of the duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer and who toured with Joan Baez shortly before his death, dies of a heart attack at 49.
1990
Eddie Quillan, U.S. actor who had a long career with appearances in movies such as “The Grapes of Wrath” and TV series including “The Addams Family” and “Little House on the Prairie,” dies of cancer at 83.
1982
John Harvey, English actor who played Inspector Loomis in the Alfred Hitchcock movie “Stage Fright” and appeared in two episodes of “Doctor Who,” dies at 70.
1976
Gene Roth, U.S. actor who appeared in more than 200 films, including many of the Three Stooges serials, dies at 73.
1975
Lefty Frizzell, U.S. country music singer-songwriter who had many hit songs on the country music charts and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, dies of a stroke at 47.
1974
Joe Flynn, U.S actor known best for his role as Captain Binghamton on the sitcom “McHale’s Navy,” who also appeared in many Disney comedy movies, dies in a drowning accident at 49.
Discover notable people born this day in history including politician George McGovern.