Kinky Friedman (1944–2024), singer, humorist, and provocateur

Kinky Friedman was a singer, humorist, columnist, and all-around provocateur who led the band The Texas Jewboys and once ran for governor of Texas.

Suzanne Shepherd (1934–2023), actress from GoodFellas, the Sopranos

Suzanne Shepherd was an actress, teacher, and stage director who appeared in “The Sopranos,” “Mystic Pizza,” “Uncle Buck,” and “Requiem for a Dream,” and is perhaps best known for playing Karen’s mother in the gangster classic, “GoodFellas.” 

Wayne Swinny (1963–2023), founding member of Saliva

Wayne Swinny was on tour with the Memphis hard rock band Saliva when he suffered a brain hemorrhage at the age of 59. Swinny was a founding member and the last remaining original member of the Grammy-nominated band, which has released 10 albums and has had 17 top 40 hits on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts, including five songs that went top 10.

Lucious Jackson (1941–2022), former Philadelphia 76ers star 

Lucious Jackson was a former NBA all-star with the Philadelphia 76ers who helped them win the 1967 NBA championship.

Bill Pearl (1930–2022), legendary bodybuilder

Bill Pearl was a legendary golden age bodybuilder who won the Mr. Universe title four times.  

Michael Collins (1930–2021), NASA astronaut on Apollo 11 mission

Michael Collins was an astronaut whose most prominent journey was flying the Apollo 11 command module, the same mission that brought and Buzz Aldrin to the moon.

Narinder Kapany (1926–2020), physicist who co-invented fiber optics

Narinder Kapany was a physicist known as the “father of fiber optics,” who was one of the inventors of fiber optics technology.

Adam Schlesinger (1967–2020), Fountains of Wayne bassist and songwriter

Adam Schlesinger was the bassist and one of the principal songwriters for Fountains of Wayne, who had their biggest hit with 2003’s “Stacy’s Mom.”

David Ogden Stiers (1942 - 2018), costar of "M*A*S*H"

David Ogden Stiers, the actor best known to audiences as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III in “M*A*S*H” and Cogsworth in Disney's animated "Beauty and the Beast," died at his home in Newport, Ore. following a battle with bladder cancer, according to multiple news sources. He was 75.

Keion Carpenter (1977 - 2016), NFL defensive back

Keion Carpenter, a former defensive back with the NFL's Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons, died Dec. 29, 2016, in Miami, Florida, while vacationing with his family, according to multiple news sources. He was 39. Carpenter, who also excelled as a special teams player, collapsed Dec. 28 and died the following day. He played for the Buffalo Bills from 1999 to 2001. In 2002, the team traded him to the Atlanta Falcons; he played with that team from 2002 to 2005. During his professional career, Carpenter had 206 tackles, 14 interceptions, and one touchdown.

Bud Spencer (1929 - 2016), Italian actor in spaghetti westerns

Bud Spencer, an Italian actor who starred in many spaghetti Western films, died June 27, 2016, according to multiple news sources. He was 86.

Zaha Hadid (1950 - 2016)

Award-winning architect Dame Zaha Hadid died March 31 of a heart attack, according to the BBC. She was 65. Known as the Queen of the Curve for her distinctive style, Hadid was one of the best-known women in architectural history.

Michael Landon Was a Teenage Werewolf

During his decades on screen, Michael Landon was a rancher, a pioneer, an angel f and a werewolf.

John Candy's Funniest Movies

John Candy was one of the funniest comedians to come out of The Second City scene in Toronto — and that's really saying something.